Limits set on building height bonuses
Tabled amendment will not have retroactive effect but will concern all permits issued after May 1
The Environment MInistry has opted for a compromise solution to deal with the opposition of municipal mayors to provisions in the new building regulation regarding the maximum heights of buildings.
Mayors were up in arms over bonuses included in the new building regulation that allowed taller buildings in their municipalities.
Seeking to address these reactions, the ministry on Thursday submitted provisions to Parliament that introduce a ceiling for two of the four building bonuses of the new building regulation.
The regulation will not have a retroactive effect, and will only concern building permits issued after May 1.
It does not appear to have a significant impact on regions with high building factors (e.g. Athens, Piraeus), but it will limit how tall a building may be in comparison to others.
For areas with a low building coefficient, it essentially discontinues the 10-25% increase (a height of 1 meter) in the building factor with a corresponding decrease in building coverage. At the same it provides staggered limits to combinations of provisions that would allow higher buildings.
However, keeping part of the height bonuses for areas with a lower factor (up to 0.8, such as a large part of the Municipality of Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni) means that these areas will still see taller buildings, just somewhat more limited.
The much anticipated amendment specifically affects two of the four bonuses – Article 10 (additional factor and height to reduce the coverage of the building) and Article 15 (additional height for green roofs etc), but not Article 19 (additional height up to 4.2 m for a planted roof) and Article 25 (additional coefficient for buildings with reduced energy efficiency).
Another article in the same amendment gives a “life extension” until 2025 to the arbitrary buildings in port zones.
For its part, the Municipality of Kifissia does not consider the changes satisfactory and has announced appeals against building permits.
Mayor Vasilis Xipolitas insisted that the majority of citizens as well as politicians and businessmen who live in the municipality, which he described as the “foundation of the center-right parties,” are in favor of the immediate suspension of the issuance of “enhanced” building permits.
What’s more, the Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage (ELLET) said that the effects of the new building regulation do not only concern the “privileged” municipalities, but are visible in all cities and neighborhoods.
