Factors Contributing to Delays in Building Permit Issuance in the Colombo Municipal Council Area: An Administrative Perspective

Abstract

The Sri Lankan construction sector and its delays has been a common topic both internationally and locally for more than a decade now. Where uncountable amount of researchers and studies roam around the causes of delay and solutions in overcoming such delay. But the perspective brought upon by this study has been underlying delays within the construction sector for a long period of time and has caused countless number of adverse impacts back to the construction sector. Thereby this study investigates the factors contributing to delays in obtaining building permits within the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) area of Sri Lanka. Building on existing literature highlighting the crucial role of the construction sector in economic development and societal well-being, the research focuses on empirical findings gathered through focus group interviews and analysis of secondary data from 2018 onwards. The study identifies significant challenges in the building application process, primarily stemming from client errors and administrative constraints. Notably, a majority of applications between 2018 and 2023 exceeded the standard 14-day processing period, with 65% experiencing delays in 2023 alone. Client shortcomings include a lack of awareness of building regulations and comprehension, encompass while outdated inadequate administrative inspection document hurdles equipment, technological limitations in CAD submission, and irregularities in planning committee operations. Based on these findings, the study proposes recommendations to improve permit issuance efficiency, including public awareness campaigns, technological upgrades for online submissions, equipment modernization, continuous staff training, and optimized committee scheduling. These measures aim to mitigate delays, enhance regulatory compliance, and foster a more responsive administrative framework for effective building permit management in the CMC area.