The Structure Plan strongly advocates the idea of ‘precincts’ as against a “land use plan” used in western planning which specifies zones, restricted for various functions. This has had a counter productive effect of generating dull “gray” areas, with boring mono-functions. The Structure Plan promotes mixed-use development looking at the ‘Dharma’ of Bhutanese life where different phases of life and occupational callings demand their own precincts. These precincts facilitate and promote various activities, and are sanctified as auspicious places for these necessary activities, which make up city life. The precincts assure that a religious function will not be disturbed by an industrial function and that residential “house holding” activities will not be disturbed by intensive retailing and wholesaling.

The Gelephu Structure Plan is ordered into several Precincts. Each Precinct reflects the nature of Bhutanese life ranging from sacred precincts, to householders’ precincts for domestic life, to Precincts that facilitate the mundane functions of trade and commerce. The concept of these Precincts is that each has its own sanctity, related to manifestations of the human dharma, and to the traditional cycle of Bhutanese life. The intention is to celebrate the dharma of the subjects and to sanctify the manifest functions of the life cycle through urban forms. Just as Chortens, Mani Walls and Lhakhangs mediate Bhutanese space into a meaning system, so these precincts rationalize the civil society into a sacred order, giving to each citizen of Gelephu their sense of place, conviviality and duty toward the greater whole.

The outline below lays out how these Precincts will be defined, and what activities are sanctioned in each. It is the intention of this document to disarm any notion that these are yet another set of rules and regulations. It is for each citizen to understand the sanctity of civil life, the meaning of the dharma system and cycle of life, as they are expressed and facilitated by the town, and to appreciate that these are sanctions of conduct to bring beauty and order to the human condition. It is with this spirit and intention that the following ordering laws are proposed to bind and guide the people of Gelephu.

LIST OF PRECINCTS DESIGNATED IN THE GELEPHU STRUCTURE PLAN

The following list of Precinct categories has been formed so that the town can function in harmony. Each Precinct protects a group of human activities from the interfering, or destructive aspects of other human activities. The definition of Precincts maintains an ecological balance between nature’s order and an order of human activities. Thus, each Precinct reflects a sphere of human, or natural, conduct. By defining and separating these spheres, the optimum meaning and functionality of each sphere is protected. Just as favorable influences are carried over the town from Prayer Flags offering ritual protection, the sanctity of Precincts offer spatial protection to the people of Gelephu.

The following is a list of Precincts designated in the Gelephu Structure Plan :

1.0 URBAN VILLAGE PRECINCT

UV – 1 Urban Village Square

Convenience shopping, basic services and amenities precincts for the Urban Villages.

UV – 2 Urban Village Core

High Density, residential precinct.

UV – 3 Urban Village Periphery

Medium and Low Density, residential precinct.

UV – 4 Urban Village Enclave

Unplanned Settlements Precincts and Existing Bagos.

2.0 URBAN HUB PRECINCT

UC – 1 Urban Core

The existing Gelephu Town Center, a precinct of trade and commerce and of mixed use residential.

UC – 2 Urban Hub

To be created in the North-West part of the town in future as major entertainment, transport and shopping precincts.

3.0 INSTITUTIONAL PRECINCT  

I – 1 Institutional

Local, National and International Institutions.

I – 2 Royal Boulevard

Institutional and Commercial of a specific nature.

4.0 ENVIRONMENTAL PRECINCT

E – 1 Environmental Conservation Precinct

Enhancement and protection of Gelephu’s fragile ecological legacy.

E – 2 Forest Environments

Precincts devoted to the natural forest preserves.

E – 3 Agricultural Environments

Precincts characterized by paddy lands, agricultural areas, flood plains and other farming activities.

E – 4 Flood Prone Zone

Zones with risk of flooding where development must be allowed only after necessary flood protection measures are adopted.

E – 5 National Importance Open Spaces

Precincts of national importance such as a regional sports complex, archery ranges.

E – 6 Local Green Space System

Precincts of public assets like parks, gardens, sports and recreation areas.

E – 7 International Buffer Zone.

500M wide no development zone along the Indo-Bhutan Border.

E – 8 Endowment for the Future

Precincts of land whose use determination is differed to future generations.

5.0 HERITAGE PRECINCT

H Heritage

Precincts for sacred activities and places of historical importance.

6.0 SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONE PRECINCT

SE – 1 Urban Corridor

A corridor of land running along the Gelephu-Sarpang Urban Corridor.

SE – 2 Multi-Modal Transit Hub

Precincts characterized by Multi-Modal transit Terminus location.

SE – 3 Dry Port

Precincts characterized by warehousing and transportation of heavy cargo.

SE – 4 Service Centers and Industries

Precincts characterized by industrial, heavy maintenance, wholesaling and warehousing.

7.0 ROYAL PRECINCT

R Royal Uses

Precincts related to Royal uses.

8.0 DEFENCE PRECINCT

D Defence

Precincts related to national security.

Proposed precient plan

The ‘precinct plan’ gives more flexibility than the conventional ‘landuse’ plan, however it is to be understood that every precinct has a dominant activity and the other activities are supportive to it. So the supportive activities are governed by the main activity, and within a precinct only a limited number of supportive activities are allowed. Thus, if an activity though secondary in nature is not compatible to the main activity they should not be allowed. The proposed precincts have been marked and defined with a scientific temperament and rational logistics with due consideration to the Bhutanese lifestyle, however if need arises in future to change the precinct definition the local authority after consultation with Town Committee, and the DUDE&S, MOW&HS, can make the necessary modifications.

Table 5.1 : Precinct Schedule showing Uses Permissible in Designated Precincts

Note:

• For better understanding and to facilitate the easy implementation of the proposed Precinct Schedule in the Gelephu Structure Plan, an attempt has been made to compare the proposed system with the precinct schedule proposed in the Thimphu Structure Plan. However, it should be clearly understood that the attempt here is to compare these two systems just in terms of permitted uses and not to equate them in terms of development potentials and possibilities. The proposed Precinct Schedule should be read in comparison with the Development Control Regulations proposed for the respective towns, which will be primary determinant and will rule the entire development dynamics in the town.
• Public utility, public facility, services buildings shall include buildings or works developed or undertaken by the Government / Semi-Government or Public Undertaking only, such as sub-station, and receiving station of the Electricity Department, building for infrastructural facilities like bus service, water supply, drainage, sanitation, domestic garbage disposal, pumping station, electricity, purification plant, police building, post and telegraph and telecommunication, public urinals, milk supply, and public telephone booth, fire brigade station, ward and zonal offices of Competent Authority, taxies, scooter and cycle stand and parking lot, garden, nursery, playground and open spaces, canal, communication network, first aid medical center, primary health center, dispensary, library, reading room and religious buildings / places of public worship.
• Shops, commercial establishments and professional uses (up to fifteen employees) shall be permitted in all precincts (except environmental precincts) by charging license for these value added uses, which are not detrimental to development in the surrounding zone, with specific conditions. This value added license shall be a one-time fee and shall be decided by the Competent Authority from time to time. The Competent Authority shall regularize existing shops and commercial establishments not approved earlier by charging additional fees, as per the above stated provision. The shortfall of parking and other requirements shall not be condoned, but the Competent Authority may consider the case if equivalent facility in any manner is offered by the owner /occupants of the premises. In no case, regularization of built-up area shall be considered by the Competent Authority.
• In the case of the ‘Uses permissible on appeal to the Competent Authority it shall be mandatory to apply for and revalidate the permission after five years. The Competent Authority shall revalidate the permission only based on an Environmental Assessment Report submitted by the National Environment Commission (NEC) and accepted by Town Committee after inspection of the site and the activities on the site. If so deemed, the National Environment Commission (NEC) may require further revalidation after a period it deems necessary.
• Where uses are permitted in Environmental Precincts and under special conditions based on appeal to the competent authorities, it is incumbent on the Gelephu Municipal Corporation to certify to the Town Committee Members, after every three years, and not later than five years, that the uses in fact conform to the application and the sanction, and conditions of successful Spatial Appeals for uses.
• In any case, no development shall be allowed in the form of a single leveled block, which involves cutting the natural terrain of the plot by more than 1.5 meters (one and half meters) height, resulting in forming the ground level of the proposed development at any given point.

5.3.1 Development Compatibility Matrix  

The Compatibility Matrix is a comprehensive chart, which determines the levels of inter-compatibility between proposed urban precincts, the natural / environmental determinants and the other external determinants which will have profound effects on the future development of Gelephu. In the first part of the matrix the proposed urban precinct and the infrastructure development in the town were tested against each other to determine compatibility and incompatibility. This is an attempt to seek multiple compatible land uses, rather than a single optimum land use. For example, a Flood Prone Precinct could support agriculture activities, orchards, recreational land uses, and other recreational activities, but not be suitable for settlement development and industries, thus determining the compatible and incompatible uses of the same area. The second part of the matrix is between the precincts and the environmental determinants, which identifies the resources necessary for the prospective uses. It also determines the permitted level of interaction between the proposed precinct and natural determinants.

The compatibility matrix with respect to the environmental determinants for Gelephu becomes crucial to explain;

• the potential of the region for urban development, with respect to its predominant topographical condition, which is between the slope category of 0 0-10 0,
• the influence of high flood risk, in the future urban development, with respect to the location of the town.
• the compatible uses, which could be accommodated in the eco-fragile and eco-sensitive areas of the tow

The third matrix compares the precincts with the crucial in-town determinants which will have profound effects on the precinct schedules distribution within the town. For example, the dominant government land holding pattern existing in some parts of the town can be advantageously used to accommodate the future population of the town and other economic generation activities. This matrix allows the decision makers to plan, utilize and manage the Gelephu town area with an understanding of environment and other determinants and how one can live in harmony with the environment. Applying the results of this Development Compatibility Matrix to the future development of Gelephu will help in achieving a balanced development between urbanization and the natural and environmental determinants, thus harmonizing development with the natural system.