Uzbekistan will exempt investors in New Tashkent from the requirement to turn 30% of their purchased land into green areas, with the state taking responsibility for greening the city in line with its master plan, the presidential press service reported.
President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the measures during discussions with investors and entrepreneurs on accelerating the construction of New Tashkent.
The government will also reduce infrastructure fees to encourage the development of commercial, tourism and social facilities. The base rate will be cut threefold for trade, service and business centres, fivefold for hotels and tourism facilities, and tenfold for cultural and entertainment venues. Fees for private kindergartens, schools and hospitals will be set at 1%. The revised procedure will also apply to projects already under construction.
A fast-track procedure will be introduced for unique projects designed by leading international architects, accelerating the design, construction and commissioning processes while eliminating repeated requests for the same information.
New Tashkent will continue to apply green building standards, with the state fully covering green certification costs for non-residential projects worth more than $50mn. The state will also ensure that 30% of New Tashkent is covered by green areas in accordance with the city's master plan, rather than requiring individual investors to allocate 30% of their purchased land to greenery.
For projects exceeding $50mn, the government will assign a dedicated project manager to support investors until the facilities are commissioned. Each project will also receive an individual investment agreement outlining the investor’s obligations and risks and providing a corresponding package of incentives.