Civil Protection’s Role in Building Permits Raises Concerns Over Delays

At the commission for the examination of files for the granting of the building permit, the slowness is still present. This, despite the reform brought and supposed to correct the situation. According to several developers interviewed by La Vie Eco, this slowness in the procedure is partly due to the presence of the civil protection services within the commission for the examination of files.

Developers deplore the situation and explain it by "the application of a reference framework disconnected from the reality of the Moroccan market, the lack of staff or even skills". The decision of the reform, published in the general construction regulations, and relating to urban planning authorizations, should delight the players in the sector. As for the relay, it should be ensured by specialized fire safety engineering firms accredited by the State. However, this transition is still awaited. According to these players, "we have the gift of enacting laws, without providing the necessary measures for them to be implemented".

This is a situation that does not help the business of project owners, real estate developers and project owners at all. This situation, due to the reluctance of the State, was the subject of a meeting held between the Order of Architects and Haiker, the deputy mayor of Casablanca, the same source points out. And to specify that, according to the conclusions of this meeting, it was decided that "for the moment, civil protection will continue to sit on the commissions until further notice".

Furthermore, other shortcomings explain this situation, including the requirement of the Ministry of Equipment to have a certain number of engineers specialized in fire safety in order to provide them with a training process. According to Faouzi, general manager of the Fire Safety and Environment Engineering Office (BESIE), already accredited by the State and operating for several years, "this validation is materialized by the obtaining of a certificate which is, let us specify, difficult to obtain". To this, he emphasizes, must be added an experience of the engineer in question of 3 years with solid references. "It is only at this point that the office can file its application and obtain its accreditation, after passing before a commission," he concludes.

These are all difficulties that explain the existence of only 2 engineering firms accredited by the State, namely BESIE and Casavigilance. Hence the need to revise the guide developed by civil protection," proposes one of the players.