"Thousands of housing units in areas of demand":
remember the plan to convert employment areas into residences promoted by former interior minister Eilat Shaked?
It turns out that even though the plan was approved in October 2021, to this day the committee responsible for the issue has not met and therefore not a single plan for a change of zoning has been submitted or discussed.
Is it because demand for office and commercial space has arisen?
A big doubt, considering the state of Israeli high-tech.
So what's the story?
Let's go back:
in October 2021, the Interior and Environmental Protection Committee of the Knesset approved the bill to convert employment areas into residences.
The approval of the bill was loudly announced and the Minister of the Interior at the time also said: "We are in a race to dress the country in a concrete and cement dress. The law that was passed today in the Interior Committee is tremendous news, which will provide thousands of housing units in areas of demand in the foreseeable future."
It's not happening yet.
Here, the bill has been approved - let's go?
not exactly
About half a year after the approval of the law in the committee, the national council established the subcommittee 'for detailed plans', according to section 6e of the planning and construction law, and it was determined that its purpose is to change the zoning from employment to residential or to add residential uses to lots designated for employment.
The same decision also determined the appointment of 11 committee members, 6 of whom were determined by law and five more would be: the mayor of Beer Sheva, the head of the local council Zemar, the head of the regional council Lev Hasharon, the representative of the organization of public bodies, and the representative of the engineers and architects.
Ayelet Shaked: "To dress the country in a dress of concrete and cement" (Photo: Reuven Castro)
In the same decision, it was also determined by the national council that the subcommittee will have all the powers given to a district committee regarding detailed plans, the main of which is a change of zoning from employment to residential or the addition of residential use to lots designated for employment, as mentioned.
It was also clarified at the same time that the sub-committee was established as a temporary measure and its authority will only apply to plans submitted to it until December 2026.
In practice, from then until today the committee has not met at all, and therefore the mechanism established for the purpose of changing the designation and increasing the number of residential housing units has not been used at all.
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"This is a new committee in the National Council, of which most of the public is unaware of its existence, whose sole purpose is the conversion of employment areas and the addition of residential areas," explains attorney Ortel Davidian Gideoni, from the Anat Biran law firm. "The establishment of the committee reflects the legislator's desire to add residential areas in the short
term .
This is a unique committee that presumably offers a faster procedure for approving the plans without "waiting in line" at the district committee.
From experience, it takes time for the public to internalize and implement planning procedures, see for example TMA 38, and other amendments to the law and regulations, but it is important for the public to recognize and know that there may be an interesting opportunity here. Furthermore, Biran says, that "it is important to note that this is a temporary provision for five years
only, When a year and a half of it has already passed.
So sometimes you should hurry and take advantage of the advantages of the planning and construction law before they expire."
The Planning Administration's response: The committee will be established soon
Attorney Ortal Davidian Gideoni, from Anat Biran law firm (Photo: Attorney Ortal Davidian)
The Planning Administration said in response to Walla Real Estate: "The Planning Administration is preparing to convene the committee in the near future, after plans are submitted according to law.
This, after having been held for months since the committee was established, pre-rolling meetings with the relevant parties in each initiative, including the local authority, in order to minimize disputes and obstacles in favor of the rapid advancement of the plans in the committee."
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