The Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy is moving forward with a complete overhaul of building regulations in small settlements across the country, aiming to resolve an issue that has created uncertainty for thousands of property owners. With an amendment recently submitted to Parliament, the ministry redefines construction terms for areas with populations under 2,000 residents, following annulment decisions by the Council of State that had invalidated much of the previous regulatory framework.
The new framework introduces a distinction between two categories of settlements based on population size. The first category includes settlements with up to 700 residents, effectively reintroducing the older regime with certain modifications. Plots ranging from 500 to 2,000 square meters remain valid and buildable, provided they have at least 10 meters of frontage on a public road and maintain a minimum distance of 5 meters from it.
However, for these areas to be considered suitable for development, a special justification via urban planning study will now be required, which must be approved through a Presidential Decree. In the second category—settlements with populations from 701 to 2,000 residents—stricter criteria are introduced. Here, the possibility of building outside designated plans returns, but only if the plot has a minimum area of 2,000 to 4,000 square meters and a frontage of at least 15 meters on an approved road.
This right is limited to plots located in areas classified as ‘special use zones’ (ΠΕΧ), with final approval granted after reasoned evaluation by the Ministry of Environment and Energy. Importantly, the rights of property owners who already hold legal permits or fall under Presidential Decrees defining settlement boundaries are safeguarded—provided they meet the minimum requirements for frontage and distances.
This move aims to protect citizens’ properties from depreciation due to urban planning ambiguities. The new legislative framework arrives at a time when the ministry must balance compliance with Council of State decisions and the rural reality where many settlements lack modern subdivision plans. According to official sources, the changes affect more than 90% of Greece’s settlements with fewer than 2,000 residents, and are expected to provide significant relief to landowners and engineers while supporting regional development prospects.