Home construction, access to utilities simplified for state-owned developers in Belarus’ countryside

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko has signed Decree No.447 “On simplifying procedures for construction and connection of facilities to distribution utility networks”.

The document is designed to simplify the procedure for state enterprises to build single-family residential houses in rural population centers as well as the process of connecting such houses to utility networks.

In accordance with the Decree state-owned real estate developers will be able to construct such houses (including auxiliary structures) based solely on the developer’s passport without having to prepare design documentation.

Apart from that, such developers are granted the right to sell constructed facilities (including those under construction with a high degree of completion) via auctions without the need to carry out conservation works or without registering them with the state within one year after the registration of the land plot where they are located.

Simultaneously the Decree establishes conditions enabling operating organizations to connect single-family residential houses to utility networks upon applications from citizens and legal entities (without involving the developer). It will eliminate excessive regulation of the process, reduce the time and cost of carrying out such operations, and will free developers from performing functions that are not appropriate to them.

The Decree will come into force six months after its official publication.