4,470 requests during the war: Planning to build a safe room? We have news for you

The rush for safe rooms continues: The National Council for Planning and Building recommended to the Minister of the Interior to extend the temporary provision for exemption from a permit for the construction of a residential safe room for a housing unit in low-rise buildings or ground-attached units.

During the discussion, a Home Front Command representative presented data showing that since the regulations for permit exemption for adding a safe room to ground-attached houses and buildings up to 2 stories were approved, 4,470 requests for adding a safe room to residential buildings have been submitted - of which 3,732 were approved. Additionally, 441 requests for adding a safe room to educational institutions were submitted. 

As a reminder, due to the security situation and the urgent need for protection for residents across the country, the National Council for Planning and Building approved a new national outline plan on 17.10.23 that allows a fast-track process for establishing safe rooms across the country. The new plan is an expansion of the national outline plan (TAMA 40/A/1) approved in 2019, which applied only to northern border communities and allows a fast-track process for protection within about 9 km from the northern border.

According to the plan, currently, the construction of a safe room is possible according to the instructions of the plan applicable to the plot, and any deviation from it requires a process of publishing an easement, with all that this entails. The TAMA 40/A/1 plan, which applies to northern communities, allows the construction of a safe room even in deviation from the detailed plan instructions applicable to the plot, and with its expansion to all parts of the country, it will be possible everywhere to issue a building permit for constructing a safe room, even if it does not match the detailed plan.

On 5.12.24, the council approved expanding the regulations to include the construction of safe rooms in public buildings. The regulations stipulate that on a plot designated for public use, it will be possible to add a protected space to an existing public building exempt from a building permit, according to the limitations of up to 2 stories high and a protected space area of up to 30 square meters net. The regulations will apply, among other things, to religious buildings, community centers, clinics, police stations and Magen David Adom, local authority offices, and more. As mentioned, the council decided today to extend the temporary provision for another year under these regulations.