Setback can be explained as the minimum open space required around any building or structure. Municipal regulations provide that a specific distance should be maintained between a building and the boundary of the plot on which the building is being constructed. This distance is necessary to ensure so that the structure stays away from roads, water bodies or other buildings. Setbacks are required at the front, rear and sides of buildings and the specifications vary from one area to another.
What is the importance of a setback?
- To ensure all buildings receive adequate natural light
- To ensure sufficient ventilation
- To protect entities such as water bodies located close to a building from being adversely affected by the construction and human inhabitation
- To protect one building from the shadow of another, which would otherwise obstruct adequate provision of ventilations and sunlight
- To protect buildings from noise-causing elements, such as nearby industries, airports or highways
- To ensure easy access to the buildings
Simply put, the purpose of setbacks is to ensure one building does not infringe on another building’s right to sunlight, ventilation, greenery and vehicular access. The last is made extremely important by the fact that rising building density makes it harder for emergency services, such as fire engines to move around during a mishap.
Architect and interior designer, Alok Bhasin, explains that every city and different areas in one city can have diverse rules concerning setbacks for buildings. “What might be stipulated for a plot in Rajouri Garden might differ from the requirements of a plot in Greater Kailash. Similarly, Gurgaon will have different setback dimensions compared to Delhi,” states Bhasin. The byelaws will primarily depend on the following factors:
- Size of the plot
- Whether it is one-side or multi-side open plot
- Locality or neighbourhood where the plot is located
- Width of the road on which the plot is located
- Maximum permitted coverage area in the locality
Bhasin explains further that if a plot has two open sides, say, a road in front and a service lane at the back, it will be called a two-sided open plot. Such a plot will have different setback requirements as compared to a one-sided open plot, where the possibility of receiving light and air is limited to just one side. If the adjoining road is wide, then the setback requirement will be different too. “The better the location and the larger the plot size, the larger the setback requirement,” comments Bhasin.