المملكة: With 120 standards… Mecca protects its mountains and removes buildings from “high-risk” areas.
Subtracted The Royal Commission for the Holy City of Meccaand the Holy Sites “Guide to Technical Standards for Dealing with Mountainous Areas” via a survey platform, which includes more than 120 standards and standards that outline an urban framework for the Holy Mosque and the Holy Sites.
The guide aims to establish a comprehensive planning and design reference directed to agencies working in the fields of Architecture, planning and urban development, in accordance with the environmental and geographical specificity of the Holy City.
The guide is based on a set of general guidelines and principles that draw the road map for the concerned authorities in dealing with sensitive mountainous areas. These principles include preserving the natural topography by promoting urban designs that mimic the mountainous environment and reduce cutting and leveling operations, ensuring the protection of the urban landscape from distortion.
Technical procedures include setting strict engineering requirements that contribute to reducing potential geological risks such as rock collapses and drifts, in addition to coordination with Geological Survey Authority to update fracking and drilling controls and enhance control mechanisms.
The guide also includes directions to enhance the city’s resilience in the face of climate change by establishing flood buffers, monitoring slopes, and activating emergency plans, as well as achieving a balance between urban expansion and preserving the mountainous environment by directing development towards the most suitable areas and restricting growth on steep slopes and high-risk areas.
The guide stresses the need to enhance the unique environmental character of Mecca through Preserving the existing terrain, identifying areas that are not suitable for development, and proposing alternative uses for them in accordance with their natural characteristics.
Urban and environmental challenges that require innovative solutions
In its guide, the Authority presents a number of challenges facing urban planning operations in Mecca, where rapid urban growth and the increase in the number of people arriving for Hajj and Umrah constitute one of the most prominent challenges that require sustainable solutions that guarantee the provision of needs without harming the mountainous environment.
Among the challenges mentioned is the scattered urban expansion on the outskirts. The city and the presence of unplanned areas, in addition to the clear discrepancy in population densities and building heights, impose the necessity of developing a flexible planning system that matches the diverse urban landscape and reorganizes it according to modern standards.
With regard to infrastructure, the Authority points out the difficulties of integrating modern networks with the mountainous nature, and the presence of cases of collapses and damage resulting from irregular excavation works, in addition to the level differences resulting from inappropriate land leveling methods, which constitutes a challenge to the implementation of streets and services.
The guide also includes an explanation of the environmental challenges, especially those related to preserving biodiversity and environmental balance, and confronting the effects of careless cutting of mountains and neglecting the implementation of terraces that protect neighboring areas from the dangers of slopes.
23.7% of Mecca’s areas are steep
The guide provides a comprehensive analysis of land inclinations within the direct supervision of the Royal Commission, as the data indicates that 56% of the city’s area is characterized by slight inclines or a flat surface, while the areas represent Developable mountains with medium and high slopes – with slopes ranging between 10% and 30% – represent only 20.1%.
As for steep areas (more than 30%), they represent 23.7% of the total area, and are considered one of the most difficult areas in terms of their suitability for development, which makes the guide emphasize limiting construction in them and converting them to open or recreational areas.
Special requirements for building on slopes 30-40%
In cases of development projects that intersect slopes with slopes ranging between 30% and 40%, the guide explains the possibility of considering construction applications provided that a series of requirements are met, including the availability of a title deed, the preparation of a detailed geological and geotechnical study that includes rock and soil analysis, an assessment of slope stability, and the possibility of slides.
It also includes the preparation of a hydrological study to evaluate water drainage patterns, and a study of the environmental impact on vegetation. and water reserves, and the project was presented to a specialized committee that included representatives from the Royal Commission, the Secretariat of the Holy Capital, the Geological Survey and other relevant parties.
The final decision is made after assessing the risks and balancing the feasibility of the project against the technical and environmental challenges.
Strict environmental standards for protecting vegetation
The guide includes a complete chapter on protecting the mountainous environment by setting strict requirements that prevent logging and cutting within the sanctuary area, encourage the use of local plants in rehabilitation, and prohibit Overgrazing.
It emphasizes protecting flood courses and considering them protected natural areas, imposing a buffer zone of no less than 20 metres, in addition to preventing polluted discharge into valleys, protecting groundwater sources and benefiting from rainwater in a sustainable manner.
Economic and social standards
The guide includes important economic aspects that depend on supporting the local economy in mountainous areas by promoting environmental and religious tourism, encouraging sustainable agriculture projects, and establishing markets for mountain products such as honey and herbs. Medical.
It includes social standards aimed at improving the quality of life by providing basic services in mountainous areas, activating community participation in urban planning, and allocating public recreational spaces that are compatible with the city’s environmental identity.
The guide explains that existing buildings within hazardous areas – such as areas with a slope higher than 30% or inside flood paths – are subject to a careful evaluation that includes a comprehensive geological and structural examination to determine the degree of risk.
If it is proven that there are high risks, the guide recommends By removing buildings in order to preserve public safety, while in cases of moderate risk it is required to implement engineering solutions such as retaining walls and rock stabilization networks, with periodic inspections every three years, and the adoption of clear evacuation plans in coordination with civil defence.
The guide stresses the need for the materials used in retaining walls to be in harmony with the nature of the mountains, preferring to use natural stones and local materials. It also reviews a group of options such as dry stone walls, mortar stone walls, “Gabion” stone baskets, or Rip Rap rock-reinforced slopes.
Protecting environmental diversity and preventing harm to natural organisms
The Authority stressed in its environmental requirements the necessity of protecting wild organisms within the scope of the Holy Mosque in Mecca and preventing hunting or disturbing them, with a commitment not to modify natural habitats except in cases of extreme necessity, which reflects the sensitivity of the mountainous environment in Mecca and the importance of preserving its biological balance.
The Authority directed the necessity of providing environmental corridors within infrastructure projects. Infrastructure, with the allocation of buffer zones of no less than 20 meters on both sides of natural paths to ensure the safe continuation of the movement of wildlife.
With regard to natural hazards, the Authority obligated developers to submit plans to protect the soil, and completely prohibited grading works for mountainous lands that lead to disturbing the balance of slopes.
It imposed requirements ensuring that a distance of no less than 100 meters is left between the slopes of mountains that witness rockfall and neighboring urban areas, in addition to obligating projects It is implementing effective engineering solutions, such as retaining walls and soil stabilization systems, with the aim of reducing the risks of landslides and rocks that may threaten the safety of residents and facilities.
Air quality controls and dealing with noise
In order to raise the level of air quality in mountainous areas, the Authority stressed the need to adhere to the regulatory limits for pollutants such as NO2, SO2, and PM2.5, while preferring to prevent the use of heavy fuels in areas near the Holy Mosque, and promoting sustainable solutions for urban transportation.
It recommended setting a noise ceiling not to exceed 40 decibels at night, and prohibited the implementation of noisy activities during religious seasons or environmentally sensitive sites, in order to create a calm and balanced environment for visitors and residents of Mecca.
In the context of protecting the mountainous environment from pollution, the Authority obligated projects to collect and sort waste within work sites, establish designated points for collection and treatment, and completely prohibited throwing waste inside obstacles and mountains, as it is a natural component that represents part of the visual and environmental identity of Mecca. The Holy City.
Given the role of wind in reducing heat and distributing clean air, the authority stressed the importance of preserving mountain wind corridors within urban planning, and preventing the erection of buildings that obstruct air flow in valleys and low-lying areas.
It recommended orienting streets and buildings with the direction of the prevailing winds in Mecca “north-northwest”, leaving urban spaces of no less than 10 meters between urban blocks, and using architectural elements that allow natural ventilation such as openings and facing windows, In addition to preserving the vegetation cover within the natural airways.
Land division controls and formation of mountain plans
With regard to land division, the authority stressed adherence to the approved plans and not granting any permits for plots of land in unplanned locations, while adopting flexible distances for building responses in accordance with the topography.
It approved requirements requiring that the width of the front of the plot of land not be less than 20 meters, and its area not less than 500 square meters, With the possibility of an exception in the case of lands with a slope of less than 30%.
It stressed the necessity of clearly defining the buildable areas within each plot of land, and reducing the building percentage in order to preserve the stability of the slopes.
Standards for roads and movement in the mountainous environment
The authority revealed precise requirements for regulating roads and movement axes in mountainous areas, stressing the avoidance of wide roads with long extensions that cause massive cutting and filling works. She stressed the need for road paths to be consistent with the contour lines of the land, and for the longitudinal slope of the public road not to exceed 10%. It adopted design speeds not exceeding 50 km/h in steep areas, with a slope of up to 15% permitted in short sections not exceeding 100 metres, provided that safe visibility is maintained at intersections. Appropriate visibility and ensuring access for emergency vehicles.
It prohibited the establishment of entrances at distances of less than one meter from the property boundaries except in exceptional cases, such as the presence of a steep slope or the sharing of two properties in one corridor.
Construction standards, materials and techniques in the mountains
With regard to construction, the Authority stressed the necessity of using building materials and methods that are compatible with the mountainous environment, such as graded foundations and the design of small architectural blocks in harmony with the terrain.
It recommended the use of traditional elements in architecture. Mecca, such as mashrabiyas and arcades, to increase ventilation and provide shade, while recycling at least 25% of construction waste.
It set special requirements for the use of foundations according to the percentage of slope, and directed developers to rely on designs that enhance sustainability and reduce the need for cutting and backfilling.
Rainwater Drainage and Flood Management
The requirements dealt with a very important aspect, which is rainwater management, as the Authority imposed the preservation of natural flood courses and the prevention of any dredging or leveling work. With it. It encouraged the use of natural crossings and covering the sewers with local stones and rocks.
It stressed the need to study the site’s relationship with the Wadi Ibrahim Basin through a geographic information system, and prevented blasting within a 1,000-meter radius of the Wadi Basin, while calling for the establishment of elements for subterranean charging such as surface dams and subsurface water storage.
Heritage Sites and Mountains with a Religious Dimension
Within the framework of preserving the historical identity of Mecca, the Authority stressed prohibiting construction within a ten-meter radius of the sites. Archaeological sites, and called for surrounding mountains of religious value, such as Cave Hira and Cave Thawr, with green belts and organized pedestrian paths, along with developing climbing paths using encased escalators and providing full services to visitors.
She stressed the need to reduce population densities in the areas surrounding these mountains, and control building heights in accordance with the heights of heritage sites.
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