A business premises in Kampong Tanjong Bunut, Mukim Kilanas, was found to have unlawfully occupied a portion of a public walkway for commercial use, prompting enforcement action from the Department of Town and Country Planning under the Ministry of Development.
According to a press release, the premise owner had erected permanent fixtures on the side of the walkway without securing Planning Permission from the Planning Authority, thereby violating Section 23(2) of the Town and Country Planning Order, 2015 (TCPO). The unauthorised use not only constituted a change in land use but also posed an obstruction to public access and safety.
Following an investigation, the Planning Authority issued an Enforcement Notice directing the owner to remove all illegal structures and cease related commercial activities on the public walkway. The department confirmed that the owner has since complied with the order, and the walkway has been restored for public use.
The department reminded the public that any form of land development, subdivision, consolidation, or activity within conservation areas requires prior Planning Permission under Section 23 of the TCPO. Non-compliance is a punishable offence, with fines up to BND200,000, and for continuing offences, an additional BND10,000 for each day the offence persists after conviction.
The public is urged to adhere to planning regulations to ensure public safety and proper urban management.
