What is Floor Area Ratio?
The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) indicates a relationship between the size of the plot area and the built up area on that parcel of land. Built up area is the total area covered by internal and external walls and includes the ducts and interior part.
How is the Floor Area Ratio determined?
To determine a floor area ratio, several factors like population density, the land size, location and environmental impact are considered.
Floor area ratio varies depending on the use of the land, whether it is for residential, commercial or for industrial use. The ratio directly affects the height of the building. The higher the FAR, the construction of a building is allowed to be that much taller. So, higher floor area ratios are typically found in dense urban areas.
Why is Floor Area Ratio important?
FAR helps in dividing land parcels into zones, thereby restricting dense building constructions. It also impacts home buyers. A higher floor area ratio will mean that there could be taller buildings and the amenities such as gardens, parking spaces and water supply will have to be shared with a large number of people.
A higher floor area ratio allows developers to construct high-rise buildings, leading to increased sales and more marketable space. The higher FAR also allows developers to construct more units on a land parcel. This is why the realty players seek a rise in floor area ratios so as to open up more space and land resources.
Violations in FAR rules can invite action. Like what happened in Noida’s Supertech twin towers case. They were demolished last Sunday for violation of norms. The floor area ratio was changed several times. The Supreme Court noted that there was “nefarious complicity" between the Noida authority and the builder.
In its original plan and the brochures, and also in the completion plan, the area where the two towers were built was shown as a garden. That’s all for today. For more news and analysis, please login to Business Standard.com
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