Over 200 Building Plans Fail Legal Review as Anambra Govt Threatens to Blacklist Erring Architects

By Our Reporter

The Anambra State Government has raised fresh concerns over what it describes as widespread non-compliance with physical planning regulations, revealing that more than 200 building plans submitted for legal assessment failed to meet statutory requirements.

The government has now issued a stern warning to architects, declaring that professionals who continue to flout the state’s planning laws risk sanctions, including blacklisting from professional practice.

The warning was contained in a two-page statement addressed to the Nigerian Institute of Architects (NIA), Anambra State Chapter, and signed by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Barr. Chijioke Ojukwu, on August 3.

According to the ministry, an audit by its Legal Review Department found that hundreds of building plans violated key provisions of the Anambra State Physical Planning Regulations, 2015, particularly the mandatory setback requirements outlined in Sections 10 and 11.

“More than 200 building plans submitted for legal assessment contravened the setback rules as stipulated in Sections 10 and 11 of the Anambra State Physical Planning Regulations, 2015,” the statement said.

The ministry explained that many of the proposed developments exceeded the legally permitted land coverage, with some structures occupying over 90 per cent of their plots, leaving little or no space for mandatory parking facilities and other essential setbacks required under the law.

Officials also discovered that several building plans failed to provide the required site allocation in line with Section 3(1) of the regulations, while others contained material misrepresentations that rendered them ineligible for endorsement or approval.

Describing the trend as unacceptable, the ministry reminded architects of their professional responsibility to uphold ethical standards and ensure every building design complies fully with the state’s physical planning laws before submission.

“Architects are expected to uphold the ethical principles of their profession by complying with the provisions of the Anambra State Physical Planning Regulations in the discharge of their duties,” the statement emphasized.

To strengthen compliance, the government warned that it would no longer tolerate defective submissions.

“Henceforth, any architect who submits a building plan for assessment without complying with the provisions of the Physical Planning Regulations will be sanctioned and may face blacklisting from professional practice,” the ministry warned.

The move forms part of the Anambra State Government’s broader efforts to promote orderly urban development, improve public safety and curb indiscriminate construction capable of creating environmental and infrastructural challenges.

Stakeholders believe strict enforcement of planning regulations will help prevent building congestion, preserve public infrastructure, improve traffic management through adequate parking provision, and support sustainable urban growth across the state.

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