LAST UPDATE 12:45
An amendment with regulations for the New Building Regulation (NOK) was submitted to the Parliament in a bill of the Ministry of Environment and Energy after the storm of reactions from mayors about the “bonus” that the Regulation gives to the height of buildings.
Based on the amendment, there will be a gradual restriction on the increase in the height of the buildings, depending on the building factor. Particularly:
-In areas with a building factor of up to 0.8 the additional height cannot be more than 2 meters (ie the building gains approximately one floor more than the others in the area).
-In the areas with a factor greater than 0.8 and up to 1.6 the additional height cannot be more than 2.5 meters.
-And finally, 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.
Strong reactions from the mayors
NOK’s “bonuses” triggered intense reactions, with several mayors speaking of uncontrolled cementing of their cities. As a result, several municipalities stopped issuing building permits for buildings that use any of the incentives of the new NOK to increase their height. This, in turn, provoked the reaction of the TEE, which by sending external judges asked municipalities to revoke these decisions on the suspension of building permits.
In a recent interview, the mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, also characterized NOK’s floor bonus as unconstitutional. “According to an opinion we requested from the law office of Mr. Nikos Alivizatos, regarding the building bonus provided for by the New Building Regulation, the increase in floors is unconstitutional,” said Mr. Doukas, while pointing out that “according to the decisions of the CoE, the pre-existing provisions should be applied, which protect – among others – special areas, such as those around the Acropolis”.
It is noted that the 5th Department of the Council of State recently ruled unconstitutional the “bonus” in additional square footage and height of the New Building Regulation (NOK) and the matter has been referred to the Plenary for a final judgment.
See the amendment in the right column “Related Files”
