New urban planning framework opens up 6.4Msqm across Thessaloniki

The revised Strategic Environmental Impact Assessment (SEIA), dated October 2026, identifies the areas where building rights from properties with unused development entitlements may be transferred, creating opportunities for additional buildable floor space subject to specific urban planning conditions.

The proposed intervention covers residential areas, urban centres, business parks and zones designated for productive activities. The largest concentrations of land are located in Pylaia, Menemeni, Efkarpia and Polichni.

Pylaia Hosts the Largest Concentration of Proposed Zones

Pylaia accounts for the largest area of proposed BCTZs in Thessaloniki, with nine zones covering approximately 2.48 million sq m. The designated land uses include general residential areas, urban centres, a business park and technology-related activities.

Of particular interest are the proposals for a business park covering approximately 295,000 sq m and a technology park of around 95,000 sq m. This spatial planning framework creates opportunities for the development of new business facilities, office space, commercial activities and residential properties, depending on the permitted uses within each zone.

Pylaia is therefore emerging as one of the most significant receiving areas for transferred building rights, with particular implications for the future development of eastern Thessaloniki.

Menemeni – Business Parks at the Centre of Development

In Menemeni, 11 zones have been proposed, covering a total area of approximately 892,000 sq m. The most significant feature of the proposal is the designation of three large business park zones, with a combined area of 635,000 sq m. Additional land uses include low-impact industrial and manufacturing activities, general residential areas and an urban centre.

The proposed planning framework is particularly relevant to western Thessaloniki, where the availability of large land plots and proximity to major transport and industrial infrastructure create favourable conditions for organised business development.

Efkarpia – Nearly One Million Square Metres Designated

Six BCTZs are proposed in Efkarpia, covering a total area of approximately 984,000 sq m. Three of these are designated for low- and medium-impact productive activities, with a combined area of approximately 586,000 sq m. The largest individual zone covers around 526,500 sq m, while the remaining areas are intended for general residential use, urban centres and mixed-use activities.

Efkarpia represents a notable example of how the building coefficient transfer mechanism can be combined with the organised development of productive and business activities.

Polichni – Residential, Commercial and Productive Uses

Seven zones have been proposed in Polichni, covering a total area of approximately 635,000 sq m. The two largest urban centre zones account for a combined area of approximately 309,000 sq m. The proposal also includes general residential areas and zones designated for low- and medium-impact productive activities.

The largest zone allocated to productive activities covers approximately 72,750 sq m.

The proposal establishes a mixed-use development model in which residential properties coexist with commercial, professional and productive activities.

Municipality of Thessaloniki – Six Zones Outside Protected Areas

Six BCTZs are proposed within the Thessaloniki Municipal District, covering a total area of approximately 827,400 sq m. The designated uses include general residential areas and urban centres. The largest zone covers approximately 258,000 sq m, while two additional zones extend over approximately 212,000 sq m and 198,000 sq m, respectively.

The designation of these zones takes into account urban planning characteristics and restrictions relating to the protection of the urban environment.

Government clarifications regarding the exclusion of historic centres and protected areas are particularly significant for Thessaloniki, given the presence of numerous monuments, historic buildings and areas subject to cultural heritage protection.

Kalamaria – New Development Potential for Residential Properties

Five zones have been proposed in Kalamaria, covering a total area of approximately 149,000 sq m. Permitted uses include general residential areas, urban centres and mixed-use developments. The two largest zones cover approximately 48,500 sq m and 44,400 sq m, respectively.

The capacity to accommodate additional building rights will depend on the specific planning conditions to be established upon completion of the relevant planning process. Of particular importance is the exclusion of the first two building blocks inland from the seafront, as clarified by the government, which limits the application of the mechanism along the coastal frontage.

The Remaining Areas

In Stavroupoli, three zones are proposed, covering a total area of approximately 89,800 sq m, with designated uses including residential development, urban centres and low-impact industrial and manufacturing activities. In Chortiatis, three zones covering approximately 212,600 sq m are proposed, with uses including general residential areas, urban centres and wholesale trade.

In Ampelokipoi, one zone of approximately 56,900 sq m is proposed, designated exclusively for residential use. In Neapoli, one zone covering approximately 13,800 sq m is proposed, with general residential and urban centre uses, while in Sykies, one zone of approximately 14,800 sq m is designated for similar uses.

In Pefka, one zone covering approximately 29,700 sq m is proposed, with general and exclusively residential uses. Finally, in Panorama, one zone of approximately 14,800 sq m is proposed, with residential and urban centre uses.

When Can Unused Building Rights Be Transferred?

The activation of the mechanism does not amount to a general increase in building coefficients, nor does it automatically grant permission for additional floors, as government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis clarified during a briefing for political correspondents on Friday, 6 November 2026. His remarks followed media reports linking the new planning framework to the granting of additional-floor bonuses to property owners.

Citing information provided by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the government spokesperson clarified that the scheme concerns the transfer of existing development rights rather than the creation of new rights through a horizontal increase in building coefficients.

According to the government’s clarifications, transfers will be permitted exclusively within the administrative boundaries of the same municipality and only to areas previously designated as suitable for accommodating additional building capacity.

The mechanism is primarily intended to compensate owners of listed buildings, monuments and properties subject to planning restrictions, who are unable to fully exercise the building rights attached to their properties.

These development rights may be acquired by third parties and utilised within designated Receiving Zones, through the intermediation of the Digital Land Bank.

The new procedure seeks to address this issue through dedicated urban planning studies and strategic environmental assessments.

According to the government spokesperson, a 60-day public consultation period is предусмотрed, followed by the required review by the Council of State and the issuance of a Presidential Decree.

Areas excluded from the receiving zones include, among others, historic centres, traditional settlements, archaeological sites, protected areas and the first two building blocks from the coastline.

The government estimates that the implementation of the mechanism will enable thousands of property owners to receive compensation, facilitate the development of new housing and help resolve outstanding expropriation cases relating to the creation of public spaces and green areas.