Height limit
A height limit (høydebegrensning) sets how high you are allowed to build. It is set in a zoning plan (reguleringsplan) or a municipal master plan (kommuneplan) and is one of the most important limits on how much can be built on a plot. Together with the utilisation rate, the height limit decides the volume of the building: the utilisation rate governs the footprint and floor area that are permitted, while the height governs how far upwards that area can be distributed.
Heights are usually given in two ways, both tied to the shape of the building. Eaves height (gesimshøyde) is the height of the intersection between the outer wall and the roof, in practice where the roof begins, while ridge height (mønehøyde) is the height of the highest point of the roof. A zoning plan can set both, so that the general building height and the top point of the roof are both controlled. Heights are measured from a fixed reference level, often the average finished ground level around the building or a stated elevation above sea level, so that it is clear what the height is counted from. The reference level that applies is stated in the planning provisions, and it is decisive when you calculate what can actually be built on a sloping plot.
Height limits are set in the provisions of the plan, under the rules on utilisation and building heights in plan- og bygningsloven § 12-7 (the Planning and Building Act). The reasons are mixed: consideration for neighbours and for sun and light conditions, for the townscape and the landscape, for sightlines, and for making the development fit its surroundings. In addition to the heights set in the plan, other regulations impose height considerations, for example building heights around airports or restrictions under power lines, which apply independently of the zoning plan.
For a developer, the relationship between the height limit and the utilisation rate is central to assessing the development potential. A high permitted utilisation rate is worth little if the height limit is so low that the floor area does not fit, and the other way round. The number of floors that can actually be built follows from the height divided by a realistic floor-to-floor height, and the roof shape and reference level can decide whether an extra floor fits or not. This is often a point of negotiation in a planning process, where the developer wants a taller building than the neighbourhood or the municipality is comfortable with.
Some plans instead give the height as a set number of floors, or as a maximum elevation above sea level, which is common where the terrain is demanding or where views and sightlines are to be protected. If a developer wants to build higher than the plan allows, it requires either a change to the plan or a dispensation (dispensasjon), and height is one of the matters neighbours appeal against most often. It therefore pays to clarify how the height is measured and what the reference level is, early in a project.
In Placepoint you can see the zoning plan and the utilisation rate for a property, and assess building volume and heights in a 3D volume study, so that you can see how a height limit works out together with the shape of the plot and the terrain.
How this looks in Placepoint
In Placepoint you find this in 3D-Designer:
From Placepoint's glossary: Height limit
More information: Plan- og bygningsloven § 12-7 (provisions on utilisation and heights), Geonorge: SOSI code lists for planning
English: Height limit (høydebegrensning; the maximum permitted building height set in a land-use plan, expressed as gesims- and mønehøyde).
Frequently asked questions
What is a height limit?
A height limit is a limit on how high you are allowed to build, set in a zoning plan or a municipal master plan. Together with the utilisation rate, it governs how much building volume a plot can take.
What is the difference between eaves height and ridge height?
Eaves height is the height where the outer wall meets the roof, that is, where the roof begins. Ridge height is the height of the highest point of the roof. A plan can set both.
What is the height measured from?
From a fixed reference level, often the average finished ground level or a stated elevation above sea level. The level that applies is stated in the planning provisions, and it matters on sloping plots.
Where does the height limit come from?
It is set in the provisions of the plan under plan- og bygningsloven § 12-7, out of consideration for neighbours, sun and light, the townscape and the landscape.
How are height and utilisation rate connected?
The utilisation rate governs floor area and footprint, while the height governs how far upwards that area can be distributed. A high permitted utilisation is worth little if the height is too low for the area to fit, which is central to assessing development potential.