Greece – Planning Systems

Introduction

There is a vast concentration of population in Athens: 3,247,000 inhabitants (metropolitan

area), 747,300 inhabitants (city) (2003 est.). The metropolitan area covers less than 1% of the
national territory and concentrates one third of Greece’s total population, and more than 50% of
its economic activities. Other large cities are Thessaloníki, 361,200; Piraeus, 179,300; Patras,
167,000.

Planning framework

1. Administrative structure
The Constitution of Greece defines the relationship between the different powers at the national
level. The Executive power rests upon the President and the Central Government, the latter
composed by the Prime Minister and the Ministerial Council. The Prime Minister delegates
powers to the Ministers and the Deputy Ministers.

The regional/local administrative structure is as follows:

● 13 regions: General Secretaries (appointed)

● 54 Prefectures/Districts: Prefects (elected)
● 900 Municipalities and 133 Communes: Mayors (elected)

2. Administrative competences for planning

There are four administrative levels with competences in planning.:

1. Central Government

There are 8 ministries that play important roles in planning:

Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works

Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation
Economy and Finance
Development
Agriculture
Transportation and Communications
Mercantile Marine

Moreover, two ministers have only territorial jurisdiction:

Macedonia - Thrace
 Aegean

The Ministry of the Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works (YPEHODE) is the main
institution in charge of spatial development policies. It is composed by several Directorates:

● Environment Planning
● Air Pollution and Noise Control
● Regional Spatial Planning
● Urban Planning

Others are responsible for housing, improvement, building design and regulations

There are two bodies related to the YPEHODE that have competences in planning:

● The Coordinating Committee of Governmental Policy in the Sector of Physical Planning and Sustainable

Development: a ministerial body chaired by the Minister of the Environment, Spatial

Planning and Public Works

● The National Council for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development: an advisory body for spatial
planning policy constituted by representatives of civil society (productive sectors, NGO, university, etc)

For matters concerning the relationship between planning and sustainability, the National
Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development was created in 2000 within the context of
YPEHODE.

2. Regions

The General Secretary is the representative of the Central Government for the implementation
of the national policies, among them, those related to regional spatial planning.

Each region has a Directorate with competence for Environment and Spatial Planning, which is
assisted by the Council of Spatial Planning and Environment, an advisory body that operates
under the aegis of the YPEHODE. There are also Regional Councils, composed by the Secretary
General and other local and regional representatives, which have, among other activities, the
following functions:

● submission to the Central Government of the proposals for their inclusion in national development plans
● formulation, in the context of the national plans, of the medium term regional development plans
● approval of the medium term development plans of the prefectures.

3. Prefectures

This administrative level provides services related to town planning and engineering services
and development programme. It is in charge of planning and building controls and of the
implementation of public development projects.
Prefects have delegated powers with respect to the initial approval or amendment and revisions
of town plans; the compulsory acquisition of land for agricultural projects and industrial
development; the licensing of industrial development; and for specific activities in woodlands
(.e.g. tourism, public utilities) and the designation of land in seaport areas for public purposes.
4. Municipalities and communes

During the 80s and 90s local authorities were given more responsibilities and power through a
process of decentralisation. They are responsible for urban services (water, sewage, waste
disposal, etc); public works and planning controls. The role of local authorities in the plan
production and approval is limited to an advisory role.

2. Planning legislation

Main planning legislation

The Greek planning legislation is based on the French one, in terms of structure and content.

According to the Greek Constitution, spatial planning at any territorial level is the responsibility
of the State. For landowners affected by planning regulations, the Constitution specifies also
their development rights and duties, including the obligation to participate, without
compensation, in the disposal of land required for public spaces and public utilities, and to
contribute towards the expenses for the provision of basic public urban works.

The first town planning legislation came into force in 1923 (Law Decree of 17 July 1923). And it
is still partially in operation. It was followed by several Laws. The 947/79 law was never
implemented; the 1337/83 law was the most applicable in the history of Greek planning and the
Law 2508/97, on Sustainable Urban Development, is currently in use.

The legal framework for national and regional level plans is more recent than the urban one.
The Law 2742/ 99 on Spatial Planning and Environment, which replaces the Law 360/76,
provides a comprehensive framework for spatial planning.
Law 1577/1985, amended in 1988 and 2000, comprises the building regulations and general
rules for other physical structures.

Planning and implementation instruments

The legislation defines a hierarchical structure of different types of plans, reflecting the spatial
scale at which plans operate (national, regional, local), without, however, having a strict
correspondence with the existing levels of government.

National level

At the national level, the main institution responsible for urban and regional planning is the
Ministry for the Environment, Spatial Planning and Public Works (YPEHODE). It elaborates,
approves and implements urban master plans, statutory town plans, housing plans and
environmental protection programmes. It is also responsible for the elaboration, monitoring,
evaluation and revision of national and regional strategic spatial plans.

According to the Law 2742/99 spatial planning is implemented through two instruments that
contain the guidelines for the development, organisation and management of the national
territory:
● National Territorial Plan (NTP), for the whole country
● Special (sectoral) Territorial Plans (STP), for specific issues of national interest.

The remaining ministries - industry, tourism, agriculture, transport and energy - intervene in
the formulation and implementation of spatial planning policy, especially in the field of sectoral
spatial plans.

Regional level
In the 1980s and mainly in the 1990s, regional administrations and local authorities were given
more power and planning responsibilities through a process of decentralisation.

In this framework regions were entrusted with several planning responsibilities: elaboration,
approval, amendment, revision, monitoring and control of different types of urban plans;
approval of zones for the transfer of floor to area ratio and approval of general building
regulations in the case of non-residential buildings.

For planning purposes there are three planning instruments:

● Regional Territorial Plan (RTP), providing the directions for regional spatial planning following the
guidelines of the NTP and STPs.
● Special Spatial Plan, for areas to be protected outside the statutory town plans
● Regulatory Plan (Master Plan), for urban regions, metropolitan areas and large urban centres. It
provides the guidelines for General Urban Plans.

Local level
The main instrument is:

● General Urban Plans: for municipal or commune territories, affecting cities, towns and urbanised areas.
The role of local authorities in the production and approval of local plans is mostly advisory, while its
main responsibilities are concerned with the implementation of town plans and the delivery of building
permits and other licenses.
3. Other characteristics

Urban development: inside and outside statutory planning

A major distinction established by the Greek planning legislation is the possibility for
landowners to build outside the regulatory plans. In fact, it is possible to promote development
within-the-plan areas or in out-of-plan areas. The first case corresponds to that areas covered by
statutory detailed town plan, which grants development rights. Out-of-plan areas are those
areas not regulated by town plans, hence without development rights. Nevertheless, in most of
these areas a limited but significant amount of development is permitted (since 1928), so long
as landowners possess plots of a minimal size of 4.000 m2 and road access.

Planning process

1. Planning system

Plan making

The process for the development of the National Framework of Spatial Planning started in 2005.
This framework is a reference for the coordination of sectoral policies, programmes and
investment plans for all administrations. National Territorial Plan (NTP) contains:

● the spatial structure of the main national agglomerations and lines of development
● the spatial structure of the main infrastructures, mainly transportation
● the spatial structure of the productive sectors
● metropolitan areas and other important agglomerations
● management of national natural and cultural resources
● improvement of the administrative structure.

YPEHODE has to elaborate the NTP, in cooperation with other ministries and public institutions;
monitors its evolution and revises its contents every 5 years. It is approved by the National
Parliament after consultation with the National Council for Spatial Planning and Sustainable
Development. National plans have never been prepared or implemented.

Special Territorial Plans specify the guidelines of the NTP:

● the spatial structure of sectoral economic activities of national interest

● the spatial structure of networks of technical, social and administrative services of national interest
● special areas of the country: coasts and islands, mountains and underdeveloped areas, internationally
protected areas, etc.

YPEHODE elaborates, monitors and revises NTP contents every 5 years. It has to be approved
by the Coordinating Committee of Governmental Policy in the Sector of Physical Planning and
Sustainable Development after consultation with the National Council for Spatial Planning and
Sustainable Development.
A National plan has never been prepared or implemented but from 2002 on YPEHODE has
elaborated and approved the first STP, on prison matters. After the drafts of Special
Frameworks were presented for public participation: Tourism, Industry and Renewable
Energies and it is expected their enactment. Two other Special Frameworks are being drawing
up at present: Costal Areas and Mountainous Areas.

Only the one about prisons has been approved. Drafts for the majorities of the regions have also
been elaborated.Regional Territorial Plans can be prepared by YPEHODE or by the regional
authorities. In any case, YPEHODE is responsible for their monitoring, evaluation and revision
every 5 years. During 2002 and 2003 the Regional Frameworks of Spatial Planning for all the
regions – except Attica-Athens) were enacted, after public consultation and approval by the
regional councils.

General Urban Plans determine the municipal land use pattern, street alignments and building
regulations and granted development rights. This is a local responsibility and for its approval
the opinion of the Local Council of Spatial Planning and Environment is needed. However, the
municipalities cannot intervene in the production and approval of statutory plans; they have
only an advisory role.

2. Development control
Planning control is implemented through permits, required for any activity concerning land use
changes or building. Consents are also required for developments on or around monuments and
historic buildings or in those projects that have significant impacts on the environment. Both
permits are prerequisites for the granting of building permits.

3. Participation and appeal

Public consultation is included in the legal framework for planning instrument approval. This is
applied for local authorities and public institutions, organisations and agencies. In general, plan
ratification is exclusively in the hands of YPEHODE, except for General Urban Plans and Town
Plan Studies that can be delegated, in certain cases, to prefects or to local authorities. Citizens
have no opportunity of formal objections before the plan approval. After the approval they can
submit objections to local authority.