Cabinet Decision & Expert Committee Appointments Greenlight Long-Awaited Heritage & Development Foundation Act for Matara Fort & City
The Cabinet decision to appoint an Expert Committee to begin drafting a Heritage & Development Foundation Act for Matara Fort & City was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on June 9th, 2025. The Act’s Drafting Committee held its first meeting on August 12th 2025.
The memo leading to the decision was submitted jointly by the Minister of Urban Development, Construction, and Housing (UDCH), Hon. Mr. Anura Karunathilaka; the Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, Hon. Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi; and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism, Hon. Vijitha Herath. Its approval clears the way for the writing of a crucial act, similar to the Galle Heritage Foundation Act of 1994 and the Sigiriya Heritage Foundation Act of 1998, which initiated significant planned development in those cities.
This new Act will set parameters for how Matara Fort & City can both secure its heritage as a colonial-era fort and historical centre, while preparing the groundwork to encourage transparent and high-value investment in Matara from local and international investors, bringing much-needed strategic economic development and employment to the Matara District.
Indeed, there is great importance given by the committee drafting this act that this is a vision to benefit the people of Matara – creating opportunities & better quality of life within the district so citizens can study, work, and thrive where they are.
Discussions on the drafting between public & private sector parties began back in January 2025, reviewing plans that have been decades in the making, as well as the city and community needs of the present & projections for future resilience.
Articulated through those discussions was a 5-pillar framework:
a) Preserve Heritage through Beneficial Innovation, b) Promotion of Sustainable Development & Ethical Investments, c) Fostering of Creative Industries and Cultural Innovation, d) Advancing of Environmental Sustainability and Climate Resilience, and e) Ensuring Community Engagement and Social Integration.
Below are listed the public & private sector appointees to both the Drafting Committee and its sub-committee – the Matara Development and Investment Coalition.
