The amendment moves to a satisfactory extent, say the mayors who have appealed against the bonus in square meters for high energy class buildings, adding, however, that it does not solve the problem.
Depending on the building factor, the bonus will be shaped to the height of the buildings, as provided in amendment filed by the Ministry of Environment and Energyin a debated bill of his competence, in the Parliament.
As stated by the government representative Pavlos Marinakiswhen informing the political editors, the relevant regulation of the ministry that will have transitory character until the approval of of Local Urban Plans of the country – which is expected around the end of 2025 – will not horizontally negate the current one New Building Regulations (NOK)but will provide for the tiered limitation per area and case.
However, as he mentioned while speaking on Thursday afternoon on ERT, Mr mayor of Alimos, Andreas Kondylis“the amendment is moving in a good directioncuts extreme abuses, gives solutions either stops bonuses in areas with a coefficient up to 0.8 or limits the cumulative use of the bonus in areas where the coefficient is above 0.8”.
At the same time he also raised another issue in relation to green roofs. “Buildings with planted roofs have no control panel,” he said, referring to another dimension of the square footage bonus given to new buildings. To a satisfactory extent, the fire department is coming and will temporarily solve the issue, since it is for two years, he emphasized. “It opens a story with more construction and planted roofs, but we don’t have a control mechanism that they will be planted and maintained,” he said.
What does the amendment provide?
According to what is mentioned in the amendment:
- In areas with a building factor of up to 0.8 the additional height will not be more than 2 meters (ie the building gains approximately one floor more than the others in the area).
- In the areas with a coefficient greater than 0.8 and up to 1.6 the additional height will not be more than 2.5 meters.
- In areas with a building factor greater than 1.6, the maximum additional height that a building will be able to gain compared to the others in the same area is an additional 3 meters.
Regarding building permits issued before May 1, 2024 using incentives for environmental upgrade and improving the quality of life in densely built and urban areasare executed as issued and revised, pursuant to the provisions in force at the time of issuance.
Also:
- With par. 2, the content of the authorizing provision of par. 3 of article 18 of the NOK is expanded in order to include elements regarding controls and penalties related to the construction of planted surfaces on roofs, so as to ensure the de facto construction and maintenance thereof.
- Par. 3 institutes the re-check for the cases of building permits for buildings with almost zero energy consumption, based on article 25 NOK, as well as the creation of planted surfaces.
- Finally, par. 4 establishes, for reasons of urgency, a procedure for the immediate assignment of a preparation “Study to evaluate the application of incentives for environmental upgrading and improvement of the quality of life in densely built-up and urban areas” and the possibility of financing this from the Green Fund.
What did ministry sources say?
Sources of the Ministry of Environment and Energy noted in the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency that “12 years ago our country acquired the New Building Regulations with incentive provisions for the environmental upgrade and improvement of the quality of the urban environment, therefore primarily the quality of life of the citizens. It is recalled that the NOK came during a very difficult economic period in our country, in the wake of the Memoranda, where the construction activity, like many other activities, had suffered an unprecedented blow in Greek terms, directly and indirectly affecting dozens of professions. From 2019 until today the image has fully reversed. The new permits issued, as well as the daily image of new construction sites with buildings under construction in neighborhoods throughout the Territory testify to this, while at the same time redefining the essence and spirit of the legislator of the New Building Regulation of 2012″.
According to the same sources, “it is true that in some cases of areas, issues have arisen with the use of NOK incentives, regarding building heights. These issues rightfully concern both property owners and engineers and employees in the Construction Services. Added to this consideration are the referring decisions of the Council of State to the Plenary for specific cases. The Ministry of Environment and Energy, listening to society as a whole, recognizes that in some cases they have issues arise with some of the favorable provisions of the NOK and having the will to resolve them, takes the initiative to intervene regulatory weighing the particularities of each region in order to achieve the following two goals: On the one hand that the environmentally favorable provisions of the NOK are not lost horizontallygiven that it is perhaps the only law of the State that motivates the implementation of constructions with a high energy rating and secondly to be ensured that allowable building factor it will not change the special features of the areas».
“The relevant regulation of the Ministry of the Interior, which will be transitional until the approval of of Local Urban Plans of the country, which is expected around the end of 2025, will not horizontally cancel the current NOK, but will provide for the gradual restriction per region and case. At the same time, the Ministry of Environment and Energy will prepare an urgent documentation study which will evaluate the implementation of the new transitional regulation for the environmental upgrade and improvement of the quality of life in densely built-up and urban areas. That is, with me ‘surgical moves’ what the NOK of 2012 could not actually predict – in the midst of the Memoranda – will be predicted now, that our country is on a stable development trajectory with the construction activity being a key pillar. The facts have changed for the benefit of our country and that is why the NOK must change, especially in terms of building heights in certain cases and areas. The question is the flexibility, the empathy of the society and ultimately the resolution of failures, for which the legislator obviously had no intention, nor … an inherited gift for the firsts of Greece’s development path 12 years later. By 2025, the largest urban planning reform since the creation of the Greek state, the Local Urban Plans, will have been implemented. The national bet that we are called to win together, State, technical world and Local Government. Issues such as building heights under the NOK are being dealt with calmly and decisively. No pointless friction. Based on common sense”, the same sources noted.
This means that while before the maximum height of these two provisions the height bonus was 5.25 meters. Now for areas with a building factor of up to 0.8, the maximum height will be two meters. For those with a higher building factor up to 1.6, the upper limit of height is + 2.5 meters and for the rest of the areas that have an increased building factor, the upper limit will be 3 meters. It should be noted that there is also a provision for planted roofs that gives the right for another 3 meters and 40 centimeters.
The TEE
It is noted that a few days ago, in the Parliament, the G. Stasinos President of the TEE referred to New Building Regulations noting that “it has been in effect since 2012 and to date there have been no changes to the height part that has been put publicly very recently. To date, the Municipalities that have reacted are 4-5, however, there are more than 325 others that do not react. We are talking about a small minority and the reactions are taking place in “rich”, if I may say so, municipalities. I will ask the Ministry to ensure legal certainty. It is not possible for the municipalities to try to impose illegal acts and this is also seen with the development of the annulment of their decision. If there are individual cases with the combined application of incentives that lead to greater heights, which was not the intention when the NOK was passed, let the Ministry of Environment and Energy take the initiative to introduce a ceiling.”
