ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has revised parking requirements for high-rise commercial buildings, reducing the minimum requirement from one parking space per 750 square feet of covered area to one space per 1,000 square feet.
The decision was approved during the 10th CDA Board meeting of 2026, chaired by CDA Chairman and Chief Commissioner Islamabad Sohail Ashraf at the authority’s headquarters.
According to the CDA, the revised standard is intended to bring Islamabad’s parking requirements closer to those followed by regulatory authorities in other major cities while making it easier to undertake commercial construction and attract investment.
The board was informed that the previous parking requirement had posed significant challenges for builders and developers. In some cases, projects reportedly required up to six basement levels to accommodate the mandated parking spaces, raising structural and safety concerns.
The Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, along with representatives of the business community, builders and developers, had repeatedly urged the CDA to reconsider the existing requirement.
The new parking standard will take immediate effect and will also apply to commercial plots being offered through the CDA’s open auction scheduled for August 4–6. It will further be incorporated into future commercial plot auctions, with the authority set to amend the relevant terms and conditions accordingly.
The CDA said the revised policy would simplify the approval of commercial building plans and encourage greater construction activity in Islamabad.
CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf said the authority would continue introducing measures aimed at supporting planned urban development, facilitating investment and promoting construction in the federal capital.
