Updated Urban Planning Concepts: Clarify Regulatory Decree No. 5/2019

The Regulatory Decree No. 5/2019, of 27 September, redefined and standardized the technical language used in land use planning and urbanism in Portugal. Its entry into force marks progress towards clarity and transparency in urban planning procedures, making communication more effective between municipalities, professionals, and citizens.

Context and Objective

The decree was approved to comply with the legal framework of territorial management instruments, establishing fundamental technical concepts—such as indicators, parameters, symbols, and graphic systematization—that are now used homogeneously across the country.

Key aspects of the Decree:

• Update and harmonize technical terminology used in urban plans

• Ensure greater consistency in the preparation and interpretation of territorial programs and plans

• Facilitate coordination between planning and urban management, speeding up procedures and reducing interpretation errors

• Simplify access to and understanding of the legislative system by both professionals and citizens

"The standardization of concepts strengthens confidence throughout the territorial management process.”

What changes with Regulatory Decree No. 5/2019?

The decree presents a set of detailed annexes defining:

• Urban Indicators and Parameters: Covering setbacks, alignments, heights, building areas, and residential densities, making their technical meaning unequivocal.

• Symbols and Graphic Systematics: Normalizing graphic representation of plans (lines, colors, technically defined symbols) used throughout cartographic production related to urbanism.

• Units of Measurement: Clarifying, for example, criteria for calculating consolidated urban area, land occupation/utilization indices, building volume, among others.

Practical example: When preparing a Municipal Master Plan, professionals will know exactly the definition of "building height" or "building footprint," regardless of the municipality, allowing comparisons, more rigorous analysis, and technical evaluation by local and central authorities.

Application and obligation

• National application: Valid for mainland Portugal and autonomous regions, with regional adaptations according to local autonomy.

• Mandatory nature: The defined concepts are mandatory in territorial management instruments; no other concepts, abbreviations, or alternative definitions for the same content and purposes are admissible, promoting total regulatory uniformity.

• No need for definition: Any urban or territorial plan no longer needs to define each term individually—reference to the decree suffices.

• Binding procedures: Applies to the elaboration and revision of plans as well as specific amendments to existing instruments.

Main urban planning concepts established

Among many updated concepts stand out:

• Setback: distance between façade and property boundary

• Alignment and Recession: building positioning relative to public roads

• Building height and façade height

• Building footprint, construction area, and total area

• Residential and population density

• Urban land, rural land, and complementary rural land

• Collective use facilities

• Occupation, utilization, and volumetric indices

• Yard, plot, and parcel

• Buildability parameters and urban operations

• Rehabilitation, regeneration, and infrastructure development

Each term is rigorously explained in the technical annex, facilitating work by professionals, decision-makers, and citizens.

Relevance for Urban Processes

• Reduction of interpretive conflicts: Minimizes doubts among municipalities, professionals, and developers

• Speed in municipal processes: Faster and more consistent project preparation and analysis

• Transparency and trust: Citizens can follow and understand territorial decisions more clearly

• Support for sustainable and orderly territorial management: With uniform criteria, it is easier to control urban expansion, protect natural resources, and ensure balanced development

Practical advice

• Ensure all urban project documentation uses the concepts defined by the decree

• Always require that maps, plans, and graphic pieces follow the standardized symbology

• If doubts arise about interpretations in plans or urban instruments, refer to the annex of Regulatory Decree No. 5/2019 as official reference

• In urban rehabilitation processes, insist on the uniform application of concepts to avoid surprises in future analyses or inspections

• Always consult a qualified architect or civil engineer to correctly interpret the technical concepts applicable to your project

Reflection

The terminological harmonization introduced by Regulatory Decree No. 5/2019 represents a qualitative leap in territorial organization and planning in Portugal. A clear system strengthens transparency in urban decisions and protects the interests of all: citizens, municipalities, investors, and professionals.