“This follows the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs’ recent decision to increase the space allowed for construction on roofs from 10 percent to 50 percent of the space,” Abid Al-Jadaani, director of the division for construction regulations in Jeddah municipality, told Arab News on Saturday.

“The decision to permit construction on half of building roofs is in line with the new construction regulations adopted by the government in 2009. The municipalities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Makkah and Madinah decided to implement the government decision in a meeting with the officials of the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs,” Al-Jadaani said.

However, there is a condition that all windows and doors of the new annex overlooking the roof should not be above a maximum height of three meters.

The decision also includes construction of ground floor annexes to villas in areas of 10 percent of the ground floor area with all windows and other openings not to the outside of the building, he added. The municipality is also considering permission for constructing rooms for janitors on the ground floor covering an area of not more than 2.24 square meters.  A number of building owners told Arab News the new municipal decision would make plenty of cheap residences on building tops available to poor people.

Hamad Al-Sayali, an investor in real estate in Jeddah, said the decision would provide housing for domestic workers, many of whom are currently staying outside. Another real estate businessman said the new decision would provide additional income to building owners because they would be able to rent rooftop apartments to low-income workers.