New initiatives aimed at developing urban planning and housing construction reviewed

In recent years, the share of the urban population in the country has exceeded 50 percent, and this figure is expected to continue growing. Population growth and the increasing pace of construction are making it increasingly important to develop urban planning schemes that meet modern requirements, preserve green areas, protect historical and cultural heritage, and ensure the harmonious development of engineering and transportation infrastructure.

To date, 2,506 of the country’s 8,604 settlements, or 29 percent, are covered by master plans. In 2026, master plans are planned for another 154 settlements, and in 2027 for 144 settlements. Of the existing master plans, 1,044 have been converted to electronic format.

Although 275 master plans for the development of individual territories were created in 2024-2025, there are no unified records of them, nor are they linked to broader plans. This leads to several issues in the comprehensive development of territories and hampers coordinated planning of infrastructure, transportation, engineering networks, and social facilities.

In this regard, a new system for working with general and master plans has been proposed. Under this system, at the first stage, information on general plans will be fully collected and updated. At the second stage, digitalization will be carried out. At the third stage, a monitoring system will be established, and at the fourth, a comprehensive information and analytical system.

As part of this process, a unified electronic register of urban planning documentation will be maintained. Documents not registered will have no legal force. The Urbanization Center will be assigned additional tasks, including maintaining the urban planning geographic information system, coordinating topographic and geodetic work in comprehensive construction processes, and providing methodological support for the activities of territorial architectural and planning councils.

There is growing demand for mid-level and senior specialists capable of working in urban studies, geodesy, cadastre, design, agglomeration management, and geographic information systems.

For these purposes, it was proposed to reorganize the Tashkent College of Geodesy and Cartography into the College of Urban Studies, Geodesy and Cadastre. It will train mid-level specialists in measurement work, cadastre and geodesy, computer graphics and design operators, and specialists in computer-based cadastral programs.

In the higher education system, plans are underway to open a Faculty of Modern Urban Studies and Agglomeration Management at Tashkent University of Architecture and Civil Engineering.

It was also proposed to create creative parks in all regions, bringing together urban studies, design, and architecture. They will include laboratories, design workshops, software and design services, as well as onboarding, networking, and coworking platforms. Residents of creative parks will receive personal income tax and social tax benefits.

The presentation also addressed the issue of strengthening liability for offenses in urban planning. It was noted that problems such as illegal and unauthorized construction, artificial delays in construction timelines, and inefficient use of land plots persist.

It was noted that the current fines are insufficiently deterrent. In 2025, 1,952 illegal buildings were identified. In this regard, it was proposed to strengthen financial sanctions for violations.

The situation in the field of shared-equity apartment construction was also analyzed. In recent years, the volume of construction of such buildings has increased 2.5 times and exceeded 11 million square meters last year. At the same time, the number of violations related to shared-equity housing construction has also increased. Last year alone, nearly 3,000 citizens suffered damage totaling 668 billion UZS.

It was also noted that today data on a single construction project is maintained in several information systems. Due to the lack of interconnection among systems such as UzKad, E-Auction, E-Qaror, Shaffof Qurilish, and Mening Uyim, information on the land plot, project documentation, expert review, construction permit, and facility commissioning is recorded separately.

In this regard, it was proposed to introduce a unified identifier, a digital passport for the territory, a digital passport for the project, and a digital passport for the facility into construction processes. This will make it possible to cover the entire life cycle of the facility within a single digital framework.

Special attention was paid to issues of urban renovation. It was noted that modern, energy-efficient apartment buildings, provided with the necessary infrastructure, could be built in place of 17,000 houses constructed in the country before 1991.

Until now, there had been no single law regulating renovation processes. In this regard, a draft new law on urban renovation has been developed. It provides for a clear definition of renovation zones, the procedure for obtaining the population’s consent, compensation and resettlement, investors’ obligations, and the powers of state bodies.

Through renovation projects, the plan is to renew the outdated housing stock, create safe and comfortable living conditions for the population, modernize engineering and communication networks, and expand green areas and social infrastructure.

The President emphasized that reforms in urban planning and urbanization should be based on the principles of creating a comfortable environment for the population and sustainable development.

The responsible officials were instructed to digitize the general and master plans, launch the unified Uy-Joy platform, secure guarantees for citizens’ rights in shared-equity construction, implement escrow mechanisms, and establish transparent and equitable procedures for renovation.

In this regard, a draft law on shared-equity construction has been developed. It provides for the regulation of shared-equity construction projects using new approaches, the protection of citizens’ funds, and the transparency of construction processes.

A new mechanism for financing shared-equity construction – escrow accounts – was also discussed. Under this system, buyers’ funds will be held in special accounts at an authorized bank and transferred to the developer only after construction is completed in accordance with the established conditions.

The escrow system is based on four key rules. First, funds received in escrow accounts cannot be used to satisfy creditors’ claims. Second, investors and developers work only through authorized banks. Third, funds are transferred to the developer after the transfer certificate is signed. Fourth, if the contract is terminated, the shareholder’s funds are returned in full.

The unified Uy-Joy information platform will play an important role in the new system. All construction processes will be conducted on it in an open electronic format, bringing together data on developers’ ratings, permits, project and construction progress, escrow accounts, and contracts.