10-story buildings allowed on Hulhumale’ plots larger than 901 sq ft

Aerial view of Hulhumale'. (Sun Photo/Fayaz Moosa)

The urban landscape of Hulhumale is undergoing a significant transformation as the government implements revised building regulations aimed at maximizing land efficiency and addressing the persistent housing challenges in the Greater Male area. As of March 25, 2026, the Housing Ministry has officially opened the door for higher-density residential developments, allowing property owners on larger plots to construct buildings reaching up to ten stories. This strategic shift moves beyond previous limitations, reflecting the administration's broader commitment to modernizing the capital region's infrastructure and accommodating a growing population with sustainable, vertical growth solutions.

Residential plots in Hulhumale exceeding 901 square feet are now authorized to support 10-story buildings.
New construction standards mandate dedicated parking on the ground floor and non-residential use for the first floor to promote mixed-use viability.
The policy, initially announced by President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu in December, supersedes the former seven-story height restriction.
Specific geographical limitations remain in place for Neighborhood 9, which retains a height cap of 18.5 meters.

The regulation of Hulhumale’ development controls has been revised to allow construction of residential buildings of up to 10 stories on plots larger than 901 square feet.

Up until now, construction on residential plots in Hulhumale’ had been limited to seven stories.

But regulatory revisions publicized the Housing Ministry on Wednesday allows construction of 30.5-meter-high or 10-story buildings in larger plots in Hulhumale’.

According to the revised regulation, the ground floor of 10-story buildings must be designated for parking, and the first floor for a non-residential use.

However, building height in Neighborhood 9 is limited to 18.5 meters.

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu had announced the decision to revise the building height limit for residential plots in Hulhumale’ to 10 stories during a community meeting back in December.