Gold-plated

Full definition of gold-plated

Having a thin layer of gold applied to the surface, often by an electrolytic method.
(of projects, systems, etc) incorporating costly or otherwise excessive features or refinements unnecessarily; to be over-engineered

2001, United States Congress, Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the 107th Congress, First Session, We have to do enough that works. Not a gold-plated program, but a solid one
2008, David Starkie, Aviation Markets: Studies on Competition and Regulatory Reform Chapter Testing the Regulatory Model, The consequence of this regulatory approach is that it has provided an opportunity for airport companies to exercise their market power indirectly through higher-than-necessary levels of investment in capacity and in costly gold-plated investment.
2008, Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development, Economic Aspects of Adaption to Climate Change: Costs, Benefits and Policy Chapter Economic and Policy Instruments to Promote Adapation, There are countless examples of gold-plated or excessive infrastructure projects â€” whether publically or privately financed.
1988, Sadhan Choudhury, Project Management Chapter Concepts of Project Management, One often hears of gold plated designs with reference to our engineers lack of concern for cost.

(of laws, regulations, etc) to be embellished to excess, especially so as to be stifling, or rigid and inflexible,

2002, 29, Has society introduced swathes of new gold-plated regulations?
2007, House of Lords: European Union Committee, Modernising European Union Labour Law: Has the UK Anything to Gain?, Report with Evidence, 22nd Report of Session 2006-07, The UK has this gold-plated approach, is that beneficial to the UK in terms of the rest of Europe and in terms of the business and the employees? Do we benefit to a greater degree by adopting such an approach

The sense relating to laws and regulations is particularly used in relation to European Union directives

gold-plated