Gabon Legal Information Institute

← Acts / Architectural Standards Act 2020

Architectural Standards Act 2020

An Act to restrict construction in certain boroughs, to provide for accreditation of builders, and for other purposes.

Status information

Currency of version

Reprint current from 19 September 2021 to date, incorporating amendments

Originally enacted on 17 September 2020

Legislation on this site is usually updated within 3 working days after a change to the legislation.


BE IT ENACTED by His Excellency The Lord High Chancellor, with the Advice and Consent of His Excellency’s Council, and by the authority of the same, as follows—

1 Short title

This Act can be cited as the Architectural Standards Act 2020.

2 Definitions

In this Act—

authorised person means any of the following—

  1. a high office-bearer;
  2. a delegated office-bearer.

delegated office-bearer means the Head of the Housing and Urban Development Agency as established under the Gabon Public Service Act 2020.

high office-bearer means the Lord High Chancellor or the Vice Chancellor.

limited building licence see section 6.

protected area means the borough of Salisbury, the borough of Highgrove and the borough of Bakerswood.

3 Building in protected areas prohibited

  1. A person must not construct any building or structure in a protected area unless permitted by this Act.

Maximum penalty—2 weeks imprisonment.

  1. For an offence against subsection (1), the court must sentence the offender to a minimum penalty of a fine of 40 diamonds.
  2. Subsection (2) does not otherwise limit the powers of the court or prevent the court from imposing an alternative but more severe punishment.
  3. In determining a punishment under this section, the court must take into consideration the scale of the building or structure.

Example for subsection (3)—
A person constructs a large building in Salisbury. The person is not permitted to engage in construction. Demolition of the building takes a long time and uses a not insignificant amount of materials. The court, under Penal Code 2018 section 33 (Compensation), may order the person to provide compensation to Gabon for its demolition expenses.

4 Permission to engage in construction

A person is permitted to engage in construction only if any of the following applies—

  1. the person holds current builders’ accreditation to engage in construction generally; or
  2. the person holds a current limited building licence.

5 Gaining and losing accreditation

  1. The Vice Chancellor may, in writing, grant or revoke accreditation to engage in construction generally for a person.
  2. Before granting a person accreditation, the Vice Chancellor must assess the person's building abilities and skill against the architectural style of Gabon.
  3. If the Vice Chancellor is not satisfied with a person's building abilities and skill, the Vice Chancellor must not grant the person accreditation.
  4. To remove any doubt, a person may re-apply for accreditation after being rejected.

6 Gaining and losing limited building licence

  1. An authorised person may, in writing, grant or revoke permission (a limited building licence) to engage in construction.
  2. The notice granting a limited building licence must include the following—
    1. the borough or boroughs in which construction is permitted;
    2. a description of the building or buildings to which the licence relates;
    3. if deemed necessary by the authorised person—a date on which the licence automatically terminates.
  3. A delegated office-bearer may not grant a limited building licence for a building or type of building a high office-bearer has ordered must not be built.
  4. A delegated office-bearer may not revoke a limited building licence granted by a high office-bearer.

7 Notifying Cabinet Office of licence grants

  1. This section applies where a delegated office-bearer grants a limited building licence.
  2. The delegated office-bearer must send a copy of the notice to the Cabinet Office.
  3. Notwithstanding section 6, the limited building licence does not take effect until this section has been complied with.

Endnotes:

This Act was originally tabled to His Excellency's Council on 7 September 2020.

This Act was enacted by His Excellency with the advice of the Lord's Council, and entered into force, on 8 September 2020.

This Act was amended by His Excellency with the advice of the Lord's Council, with the amendments entering into force on 17 September 2020

Before the amendments entered into force, the Act read as follows—

Architectural Standards Act 2020

  1. It shall be a crime against the Gabonese Government to construct buildings in specified boroughs without permission.
  1. This Act shall apply to the following boroughs—
  1. Salisbury
  2. Highgrove
  3. Bakerswood
  1. Permission can be granted by either of the following—
  2. Individuals may receive a builders accreditation from Vice Chancellor Gobblin.
    • In the case of a builders accreditation, you shall be trusted to build as you like within the specified boroughs.
    • The builders accreditation shall be obtained through a supervised build, in which your abilities shall be rated by Gobblin.
    • You may attempt for a builders accreditation as many times as necessary.
  3. Individuals may receive explicit permission from either the Lord High Chancellor or the Vice Chancellor for a specific build.
    • This permission shall only be applicable to the singular build/buildings approved by either individuals.
  1. If permission is breached or buildings constructed without being granted permission than the individual(s) responsible shall be levied a fine by the Gabonese Government.
  1. The fine shall be at a minimum of 40 diamonds.
  1. Any fine greater shall be determined by the scale of the building constructed.

This Act was amended by the Architectural Standards (Licence Authority) Amendment Act 2020 on 17 November 2020:

  • ins s 2 def ‘authorised person’, ‘delegated office-bearer’
  • amd s 6
  • ins s 6 sub-ss (3), (4)
  • ins s 7
Last edited by Jamie on 19 September 2021: Use new coat of arms (67638f8)
View page history →
Edit this page →