Planning Permission & BCU Process

Planning Permission & Process

In Grand Cayman, it is the Central Planning Authority (CPA) who decides on planning permission, and in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman it is the Development Control Board (DCB). Both entities act under the Development and Planning Act/Regulations (2021 Revision), the Development and Planning Regulations (2024 Revision), the current Development Plan (1997, with PlanCayman updates) and National Conservation Act, which takes into account any environmental aspects that need considering.

Usually, an architect or draftsman will help you with this process. The process outlined below is specifically for building a private home or duplex. Regulations and rules for a property over three storeys or a commercial project is different and more complex.

Step 1: Pre-Application

Your agent/architect will confirm the zoning, density, setbacks, and site coverage limits of your piece of land and what the options are to build on it. You then need to anticipate any environmental or agency concerns (DoE/NCC, NRA, WAC, DEH). An Environmental Impact Assessment may need to be undertaken for a larger or sensitive project. For example, anyone wanting to build on the beach will have to have the site plans approved by the Department of Environment, and possible conditions may apply. For example, if it is a turtle nesting beach you will have to have turtle-friendly lighting.

Step 2: Submission

All applications are filed via the Online Planning System (OPS). Your architect or agent would usually do this, but it is sensible for you to log in as well and see the progress of your project. In your planning submission, you must include all planning application forms and the scaled drawings of your property, as well as any applicable technical reports. You do not at this stage need the full set of construction drawings or MEP plans.

Step 3: Validation & Referrals

The Planning Officer will now check the drawings. Any referrals will be sent to other agencies (NRA, WAC, DEH, Fire, DoE/NCC, etc.).

Step 4: Neighbour/Public Notification

If a notice of planning needs to be sent to any neighbours (often within 250ft) these will now be sent via registered mail. Note: if you are building a house or duplex on a piece of land, and there are no variances to the use of the land, then neighbours do not need to be notified. Publish newspaper/site notices if needed. Objections become part of the decision record.

Step 5: CPA/DCB meeting

Applicants/agents (and objectors) may appear. A decision will be classified as: approve, approve with conditions, defer, or refuse. Once planning is approved it is valid for 5 years and now you can work on the MEP, construction and structural plans. At this stage the Department of Planning will require their admin fee and half of the permit fee. Note: only once all the conditions outlined on the CPA letter are met can any site work begin. The land cannot be cleared until this stage as the Department of Environment needs to check first whether there are any indigenous plants on the land and whether they can be saved before the land is cleared. The land cannot even be cleared by hand until approval has been given. There are also safeguards to protect the environment when building, especially if near the water. For example, those planning to put EIFS (foam insulation) on the outside of the house must have a screen protecting the environment from the waste foam, and it must all be scooped /vacuumed up.

Building Control Unit (BCU) Process

Once planning permission has been granted and any pre-permit conditions are satisfied, the process shifts to the BCU. This is where technical compliance with the Cayman Islands Building Code and safety standards are verified. Note: At this stage you must read the entire document that the Department of Planning sends you, and you must submit anything they ask you to submit.

Step 6: Building Permit Application

Submit through OPS under the Building Control section. Provide full construction drawings, structural details, MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) plans, fire safety plans, and energy efficiency details. Fees depend on project size/value.

Step 7: BCU Plans Examination

BCU examiners check compliance with: 1) Structural standards (wind/seismic loads, hurricane resistance); 2) Life safety (fire separation, exits, alarms); 3) Electrical and plumbing codes; 4) Energy conservation. If corrections are required, you’ll receive comments via OPS; revise and resubmit.

Step 8: Building Permit Issuance

A permit is issued when plans pass all code checks and relevant outside agency approvals are in place (e.g., Fire Service, Water Authority). This is when the final half of the permit fee is due. You also now pay half of the infrastructure fee. The balance of this is due when the certificate of occupancy is issued once building is complete.

Step 9: Inspections During Construction

The BCU carries out stage inspections: Foundation, Slab, Structural framing, MEP rough-ins, Roofing, and then Final inspection. It is very important that your construction team get these inspections done in the right order, or it will seriously delay the project. There is a seven working day window for inspections to be conducted.

A good construction team will factor the inspections into their building timeline so that there are no delays. Having someone manage the GANTT chart is a good idea. A GANTT chart is a visual tool used in project management to display a project schedule. Some inspections require agency coordination (Fire Service, DEH, WAC). A third party inspector can be hired to speed up the process.

Step 10: Certificate of Completion/Occupancy

When construction is finished and all inspections have passed, BCU issues a Certificate of Completion (for non-habitable works) or Certificate of Occupancy (CO) for habitable buildings. Final payment of the infrastructure fee is paid now. The CO confirms the building is safe, code-compliant, and all planning conditions have been met. At this point electricity can be turned on.

Other Things to Consider

• If building on the coastline, approvals often come with conditions from the Department of Environment.
• If notices need to be sent out to notify neighbours, the receivers only have 21 days to notify the Planning Department.
• The CPA meet every two weeks and if your application does not get seen to at that meeting it will not always automatically be scheduled for the next meeting.
• All products, whether windows, doors, appliances, AC units, ductwork etc must meet American Standards according to the ICC (International Code Council). There are also other local regulations which take into account seismic activity and hurricanes, and you can check the Planning website for their ‘Codes’. This means that prefabricated homes from many countries, including China, will not pass code in Cayman and will not even clear Customs. The same rule applies to appliances. All appliances must be UL (Underwriter Laboratories) inspected, meaning they have been safety tested and are certified for sale in the North American market.

Useful Resources

Helpful resources from the BCU and the Cayman Islands Planning Department that you may find useful:

• Planning application checklist
  
• Planning application information sheets
• Building codes in Cayman
  
• Plan review submittal guide (commercial and multi-family permits)
  
• Inspections chart (commercial and multi-familt permits)
  
• Inspections chart (single and double-family permits)