On the islands
The new package of measures concerning illegal buildings and conditions for building outside town-planning areas will include regulations for building on islands, which are of especial importance for parts of the Cyclades. They are expected to come into force this month, by ministerial decisions or legislation. According to YPEHODE Minister Vasso Papandreou, the measures include: – Legislation on the non-retrospective nature of provisions concerning stipulations for building on islands. This means that all permits issued before the stricter rules were published will be carried out (e.g. on Tinos). – From now on, basements will be included when measuring the total area of a building. This is an attempt both to free up the construction of covered areas and to prevent a tactic employed by many owners, who build extensive underground areas that they later uncover and turn into habitable floors. At the same time, the building ratio, namely the number of square meters one may build on in relation to the size of the plot, is being increased. Currently, owners of land outside the town plan may build on up to 200 square meters. In future, that area will rise to 250 square meters which will, however, include any basement areas.
