Many “open fronts” in urban planning will be called upon to confront the next Minister of the Environment. The first place among the “hot potatoes” is her case. Mykonos and the continuation or termination of control over urban planning. Next comes the management of his question maximum building heightbecause the court appeals against the increase in the building law bonus. Local urban plans, especially spatial plans plans for tourism and renewable energy, the “reset” of recycling and the completion of cadastral and forest maps are among the key issues.

Mykonos
New discoveries are coming

The Mykonos case may have taken off because of the elections, but the question is whether this effort will continue, whether it will be left for after the end of the season or left at all. Environmental inspectors are preparing at least 10 more findings after the autopsy they conducted in April, and it remains to be seen whether they will be sealed immediately, the objection process will move at the same speed as it would before other stores closed for the start of the season.

At the second level, the new environment minister is asked to consider whether he will make important decisions to control urban planning in general, or leave (like the previous ones) this issue to its own devices. If he wants to continue them and create a reliable system, he must seriously work on strengthening the environmental inspectors, a curtailed service, which, despite its significant successes, the ministers concerned remember only when they need it. In addition, in cooperation with the Ministry of the Interior, the staffing of the building services, which have the primary responsibility for overseeing urban planning, should begin. A typical case is the town planning of Syros, which called in five engineers to test town planning on four popular islands.

Finally, the minister is asked to decide how to close the “holes” in the system of “settlement” of arbitrariness. The first step should be to close the supporting documents process quickly, because, as has been (also) proven in the case of Mykonos, the lack of survey in the settlements creates ambiguity as to what was “inhabited”. Engineers’ representatives are pushing for the restoration of “category 5” legalization (arbitrarily unlicensed or over-licensed), which management should not look favorably on if they really want this thing to ever end.

urban planning
Research without a signature

The much-touted urban planning reform program “Konstantinos Doxiadis” is in danger of becoming a major problem for the next minister. In 2022 and early 2023, dozens of local urban planning studies were announced, but not a single one (!) Was signed. The only studies that have been initiated concern specific urban planning plans for Elafonisos, Mykonos, Santorini and the municipality of Minoa Pediada (because of the airport). There are also many “shadows” around the way the awards were made: the first “package” gave very large discounts, and studies were never awarded. In the following packages, some studies have very reduced interest (only one candidate at a small discount), while others of the same type have very increased interest. Recall that the responsibility for the program lies with the Technical Chamber of Greece, which the Ministry of the Environment has given the role of customer.

The problem with the delay in signing the studies is that these projects are funded by the Recovery Fund. Therefore, they must be completed within three years (by 2026), with the time available permanently limited. If research does not start gradually, this means that at some point the understaffed services of the Ministry of Natural Resources will be “choked” with research that they will have to check. The institutionalized contribution of individuals to the research control process is of no practical importance, since the administration is responsible for the signature.

Finally, the very suffocating deadlines set for special town planning plans (about one and a half years from the moment they were signed) turned out to be unrealistic in practice. The next minister will be asked to expand the studies of Mykonos and Santorini and ensure that due to difficulties they do not end up in the Greek calendar.

Building height
Appeals are on the rise

The case, “opened” a few years ago in relation to hotels in the Makrigianni area, quickly gained momentum. The Council of State (and later the administrative courts) began to “cut” permits, causing the building authorities to stop issuing new permits with the height and square meter surcharge provided for by the New Building Regulations. The outgoing leadership of the ministry tried to solve this problem in two ways. By sending circulars to urban planners that they cannot refuse building permits using specific provisions (as long as traditional settlements are not involved, etc.). And excluding, in accordance with the legislative regulation, the areas of Paleo Psichikos, Filotei and Ekali, from where many applications have been received. However, the case is not closed, the number of appeals is increasing, and the next minister will be asked to decide whether to proceed with some kind of clarifying legislation, which, however, will not be able to deviate from the Council of Ministers’ jurisprudence. Or if he cancels the controversial regulation, which, of course, the contracting world does not want.

off-plan building
Introduction to new licenses

The recent enrichment of the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence with new decisions against unplanned development has caused a “jam” in issuing new building permits. The reason is that many city planners still issued permits irregularly, that is, without a “face” on a recognized street. The Technical Chamber, the Bar Association and other bodies with a professional interest in the case have proposed different treatment depending on the age of the site, making a rather risky interpretation of the State Council’s latest decision. The new Minister of the Environment will undoubtedly be forced to find some kind of “window” for the continuation of unplanned construction, bypassing the judicial practice of the Council of Europe.

Spatial planning
Tourism and renewable energy in the foreground

The new leadership of the ministry will be asked to deal with two very difficult cases: a new special zoning framework for tourism (the previous two were canceled by the CE) and renewable energy. These plans are crucial for the development of two sectors that are of great importance for the national economy. At the same time, these are two particularly sensitive areas, since in recent years there have been many reactions, organized movements and calls both against the expansion of renewable energy in untouched areas and against the continuous creation of large tourist facilities. The consultation and subsequent adoption of the two special zoning plans is a complex task as they will greatly stimulate public interest. This is followed by a revision of the special zoning for aquaculture, which also has several “hot” issues. Finally, the Ministry of Environment has to finalize the South Aegean Regional Spatial Planning, which is also being delayed for an unknown reason.

Recycling
Need solution for separate screening

The Hellenic Waste Recycling Organization (EOAN) has been in the process of disbanding for some time now. The ministry should arrange for it to be staffed and reorganized so that it can take over its role again and control of recycling systems can be started (for now everything…that’s what they say). EOAN is called upon to immediately organize the work of the system of warranty and return service (RTS) for plastic, metal and glass bottles. Finally, a solution must be found to “start up” both separate sorting of recyclables (which is not visible on the horizon) and composting, since buying bins and garbage trucks is not enough to make it work.

Land Registry
At a slow pace on the last stretch

The National Land Cadastre and Forest Maps are in their final stages. The ministry should help complete both: the transition to a final land registry structure and the closing of all mortgage registries. And finalizing the forest maps by examining the thousands of objections filed. Today, objection handling rates are very low.

Wastewater
Serious backlogs

The closure of the last landfills in the next four years, a backlog of more than twenty years, is inevitable. At the same time, the Ministry of Natural Resources must launch the necessary infrastructure. If the establishment of waste incineration plants is among the goals of the new government, this should be initiated by the ministry, since the responsibility lies with the central administration. In the case of wastewater, there are still serious unresolved issues, mainly the construction of biological treatment plants in Mesogeia and Marathon.

Environmental studies
Implementation of events for Natura

The titanic task of organizing an effective Natura territory protection system has been “assigned”. Only one study has been authorized, while the rest, which should have been completed two years ago, have yet to be completed. The completion of studies and the establishment of measures to manage presidential decrees is crucial and is the issue for which Greece has been condemned by the European Court of Justice. In addition to approving studies, the Ministry of the Environment … should also deal substantially with the environment (which was not particularly the case with previous guidance), since it is not enough to propose measures for the management of protected areas, but you must also implement them.

Air pollution
Decisive treatment

Greece recently collected two European condemnations for air quality in Athens and Thessaloniki. The new leadership of the ministry will be asked to take significant measures to reduce air pollution, rather than “demonstration measures” (eg commissioning studies, setting up committees) to demonstrate to the European Commission their intention to solve this problem.