Under what conditions the Council of State approves the New Building Code

The Council of State (StE) has issued a determination that opens the mode for the completion of dozens of “frozen” operation projects, portion besides introducing caller organization safeguards. The StE deemed the statesmanlike decree from the Ministry of Environment regarding gathering permits issued nether the incentives of the New Building Code (ΝΟΚ) arsenic legal, with insignificant observations.

This ruling is considered important for the continuation of operation activity, arsenic it allows the completion of projects that had been suspended owed to ineligible appeals — but lone under circumstantial conditions.

The tribunal did not reject the regularisation introduced by the Ministry 4 months ago, but it did require an biology pre-assessment for immoderate lawsuit successful which a gathering is to beryllium legalized by exception. This applies to permits that person been annulled oregon are nether litigation, provided that operation began earlier December 11, and to projects for which backing has been requested done the Recovery Fund oregon the NSRF.

The purpose of this involution is to balance the request for continuing construction with the protection of the municipality and earthy environment, placing the conception of environmental offsetting astatine the halfway of municipality readying policy.

Environmental Pre-Assessment Before Any Legalization

According to reports, the StE’s main remark concerns the requirement of an biology pre-assessment earlier approving immoderate “special plan” for biology offsetting. This is to find whether a Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA) is necessary.

The pre-assessment is simply a preliminary evaluation of the imaginable biology impacts of a project. If it finds that the task whitethorn importantly impact the environment, past a afloat SEIA is required.

In this way, the StE aims to guarantee that exceptions bash not go the rule, astatine the disbursal of biology protection. Although applicable authorities don’t expect wide cases, the Court’s connection is clear: urban readying flexibility indispensable travel with justified biology accountability.

What the Presidential Decree Specifies

The statesmanlike decree details the regularisation for the New Building Code issued by the Ministry aft the Council of State annulled the broad exertion of its incentives past summer. It focuses connected 2 captious parameters:

1. Establishing the commencement of operation activity earlier December 11, 2024, arsenic the cutoff for maintaining licence validity.
2. Allowing “exceptional completion” of projects already successful progress, on information of paying biology compensation.

This compensatory magnitude volition beryllium deposited into a special relationship astatine the Deposits and Loans Fund and past transferred to the applicable municipality for environmental enhancement projects, nether plans approved by KESYPOTHA (the Central Council for Urban Planning Issues).

The December 11 “Red Line”

“Start of operation work” is defined arsenic excavations oregon foundations, demolitions carried retired up to six months earlier the deadline, oregon archaeological excavations nether a valid permit. Proof tin beryllium based connected administrative documents, aerial photographs, statements, oregon contracts with verified dates.

The support of the decree enables the completion of halted projects successful areas similar Alimos, Vari–Voula–Vouliagmeni, Kifisia, and Athens, hinting astatine a caller question of appeals.

Council of State Sends a Clear Message

The StE’s determination is seen arsenic some an organization and governmental triumph for the Ministry of Environment. It unblocks a contentious issue that had caused uncertainty successful the operation assemblage and tensions successful section communities. At the aforesaid time, it introduces a new equilibrium betwixt improvement and biology responsibility.

In a play of beardown betterment successful the gathering sector, the apical administrative tribunal reminds that progress cannot beryllium uncontrolled — it indispensable beryllium combined with respect for legality and biology integrity.