Q&A: the new spatial planning and urban development code explained

The Ministry of Environment and Energy has released a series of questions and answers regarding the Spatial Planning and Urban Development Code:

1. What is the Spatial Planning and Urban Development Code?

It is the result of the collection, systematization, and consolidation of all existing spatial planning and urban development legislation into a single Code, in order to facilitate both public administration and citizens in the accurate and timely understanding and application of this legislation. The Code consists of a table of contents, 477 articles of general spatial planning and urban development legislation, and an annex of codifying and codified provisions.

2. Who does the Spatial Planning and Urban Development Code concern?

The Code effectively concerns everyone who lives, works, or uses space in their daily lives. This includes residents, professionals, investors, service users, as well as bodies such as municipalities, environmental organizations, professional associations, and businesses. In simple terms, the rules governing how space is organized and used directly affect those who apply the law and indirectly all citizens.

3. What problem does the Code solve?

The Code was created to bring order to the previously complex and often chaotic framework of spatial planning and urban development legislation.

For years, the relevant rules were scattered across numerous legislative acts, with continuous amendments, overlaps, and ambiguities. This resulted in different interpretations, unequal application of the law, and significant delays for citizens, professionals, and public services.

The Code consolidates and organizes all this legislation into a single, more coherent framework, using clearer language, so that the application of the rules is uniform, clearer, faster, and more secure for all.

4. What is the objective of codification?

The objective of codification is to make spatial planning and urban development legislation clearer, easily and freely accessible, and uniformly applied for all.

Specifically, the Code aims to:
– Strengthen legal certainty, ensuring that rules are applied in a clear and consistent manner.
– Facilitate citizens and professionals in accessing and understanding legislation.
– Reduce bureaucracy and delays.
– Ensure that the same rules are applied uniformly across the country.
– As a result, reduce disputes, differing interpretations, and cases brought before the courts.

5. How many legislative acts are codified in the Code?

The Code includes provisions from 122 laws, 29 presidential decrees, 15 legislative decrees, 4 royal decrees, 3 emergency laws, 7 ministerial decisions, and 1 legislative act, totaling 181 legislative instruments, some of which are up to 103 years old.

6. When did the drafting of the Code begin and how long did it take?

The drafting of the Code began in July 2020 and was completed in 2026, following a multi-year process of collecting, processing, and systematizing spatial planning and urban development legislation.

7. How does it differ from the Basic Urban Planning Code (1999)?

The Basic Urban Planning Code of 1999 was an initial attempt to consolidate the legislation in force at the time, but it was never updated. It included provisions valid up to 1997 and, due to subsequent legislative changes, quickly became outdated and lost practical relevance.

Furthermore, later amendments were made outside the Code itself, resulting again in fragmentation and confusion. As a result, the 1999 codification gradually became obsolete.

The new Code differs in that it is designed as a continuously updated and “living” legislative tool. Any new changes in spatial planning and urban development legislation will now be incorporated directly into it, ensuring it remains current, unified, and functional. This ensures legislative coherence and avoids the recurrence of fragmentation.

8. Does the Code introduce new law or change existing provisions?

The Code includes existing statutory and regulatory provisions concerning spatial planning and urban development legislation. It does not introduce new rules but rather codifies what is already in force.

9. Which legislative provisions are incorporated into the Code?

The new Code consolidates in a single text almost the entirety of general spatial planning and urban development legislation under the competence of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

It covers the full spectrum of spatial and urban planning: from spatial planning, urban regeneration, and implementation of urban plans, to building regulations and land-use rules, permitting frameworks, handling of unauthorized construction and building violations, dangerous buildings, urban policy, sectoral national strategies, and the functioning of collective bodies.

With its 477 articles and systematic structure, it now constitutes a complete and unified reference point for technical and legal professionals.

By contrast, special legislative frameworks such as Industrial Areas (VIPE), tourism enterprises, ESCHASE, ESCHADA, etc., were not included in the Code. These remain within their respective legal frameworks to preserve coherence and proper interpretation, as their removal could create interpretative issues and gaps in specialized legislation, such as those concerning tourist ports, business parks, and other special development schemes.

10. Does the codification include city plans, urban studies, or circulars?

Individual regulatory or general administrative acts (such as city plans or urban studies) are not included in the codification, as they have local rather than general application. These acts will continue to apply after the Code’s enactment, both in their individual aspects (building and street line delineation) and in their regulatory aspects (building conditions and land uses in specific areas). Circulars are also not included. However, circulars relating to codified provisions remain valid and applicable.

11. Are provisions deemed unconstitutional codified?

Provisions that have been ruled unconstitutional are not codified. However, provisions whose constitutionality may be in doubt are included, provided the issue has not been definitively resolved by a court decision.

12. How can one identify where a provision has been codified?

At the end of the Code, an annex includes a chronological table listing codified provisions in the first column and the corresponding codifying provisions in the second column. This allows easy identification of the article in which a provision has been incorporated.

13. Which provisions are repealed by the Code?

From the entry into force of the Code, the codified provisions listed in Annex A and in the correlation table between codifying and codified provisions are repealed. In summary, what is codified is repealed and incorporated into the Code. What is not codified remains in force.

14. When does the Code enter into force? Will there be a transitional period?

The Code enters into force upon publication in the Government Gazette. No transitional period of parallel application is foreseen. However, provisions not codified due to their special nature will continue to apply alongside the Code.

15. How can I search for terms within the Code?

Search functionality is now significantly simplified, as provisions from 181 legislative acts are consolidated into a single document.

16. Will the new Code be accessible to all citizens?

Citizens will have free and immediate access to the Code upon publication. The text will be available through the website of the National Printing Office, primarily via the Government Gazette number, and more importantly through the new digital legal database of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

For the first time, a modern, continuously updated digital database of spatial planning and urban development legislation is being created, consolidating the entire applicable legal framework in one place. The platform will function as an interactive and user-friendly search tool, offering fast navigation and immediate access to current provisions.

All legislative changes will be directly incorporated into the Code, ensuring that citizens, engineers, lawyers, investors, and public authorities always have access to the most up-to-date legal text.

17. How was the Code drafted?

The Code was drafted by a special committee composed of highly distinguished experts in spatial planning and urban development law. The committee was chaired by Kostas Menoudakos, Honorary President of the Council of State, and included judges of the Council of State and the Legal Council of State, university professors, lawyers, specialized scientists in spatial planning and urban development, and senior officials of the Ministry of Environment and Energy.

Significant contributions were also made by the political leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Energy in advancing and completing the project from 2019 onwards. Special mention is made of the late Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Nikos Tagaras, who, with consistency and personal commitment, strongly supported the codification effort, making a substantial contribution to its advancement and completion.