Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced his government’s intentions to impose strict restrictions on construction in areas outside designated urban planning zones across the country, on Tuesday.
Mitsotakis disclosed that one of the key changes will be the abolition of the “right of passage” for landlocked plots. This change directly affects properties created from the subdivision of larger plots before 1985, which do not have direct access to public roads.
Construction on these plots has been allowed through a legal provision that grants access by designating a portion of the land for public use. This will soon be a thing of the past, in line with rulings from the Council of State.
The new measures for outside urban planning zone construction are transitional said the prime minister, adding that they would be shortly presented to parliament for approval. He also emphasized that these changes will bring an end to the current system.
Mitsotakis also highlighted that the government’s long-term goal is to implement a comprehensive zoning plan across the country, which aims to provide proper urban planning for 80% of the territory that currently lacks it.
He stated that local spatial plans (LSPs) are expected to need two to three years to be completed. Meanwhile interim rules will be necessary to regulate construction activity in these areas, acknowledging however that some islands and settlements, with little development need to be protected from unregulated construction.
Mitsotakis explained that despite these restrictions being necessary in order to prevent uncontrollable construction especially on islands, alternative solutions will be provided.
“We need to guide those interested in building vacation homes towards organized development zones or existing settlements rather than allowing scattered construction on isolated plots,” he noted.
