The Development Code includes the base districts, which provide development and use regulations within the areas identified by ADM, which reflect the character of building and use within each district.
Every plot of land in the Municipality has a Base District designation, such as residential, commercial, or industrial. The Development Code Map depicts the designation for each plot in the Abu Dhabi Municipality.
Overlay districts are districts that have been divided to carry out specific purposes, such as Airport Environs and Waterfronts. They have supplemental regulations and some guidelines that apply in addition to, or in place of, the base district regulations.
Plan Districts are areas with geographically specific regulations and guidelines, based on detailed master planning. Examples include Saadiyat Island and the Madinat Zayed.
The Abu Dhabi Capital Development Code can be accessed on the Urban Planning Council's website www.upc.gov.ae, or by visiting the Town Planning Sector at the Abu Dhabi Municipality during normal office hours.
The Code has an interactive mapping component. Clicking on the Spatial Portal link will bring up the interactive map in the same window. This map allows you to zoom in or out to have a general idea about the code map.
The UPC shall periodically post details of the Code updates in a bulletin that may also include other news or clarifications regarding the administration of the Code.
The Plot Finder is a search tool within the Code Interactive Map that identifies a particular plot and its associated regulations. This can be done by entering the Sector and Plot Number into an entry form. When you click the "Search" button, the map will zoom-in and show the center point of the plot that you entered.
The Code creates predictability within the development process, steers development to appropriate locations, and provides a consistent framework for project design and approval.
The Code is a regulatory tool that governs how lands within the urban growth boundary of Abu Dhabi city are developed and used based on the goals and objectives of Plan Capital 2030.
