The new Special Spatial Planning Framework for Tourism increases the perfection up to 16 acres, sets limits on beds and brings strict restrictions, with particular emphasis on Crete and other saturated destinations
The new spatial planning framework for tourism brings significant changes to the way the tourism sector develops in Greece, with the main goal of limiting uncontrolled construction and transitioning to a more organized and sustainable model of tourism development.
The most substantial change concerns off-plan construction, where the minimum perfection increases from 4 to 8 acres, while in areas of high tourist saturation it can reach up to 16 acres.
Particular emphasis is given to Crete, as several areas of it are included in the zones of increased pressure, where tourist development has already burdened infrastructure, natural resources and mainly the water balance.
In the case of Crete, the regulations mainly concern coastal and tourist-developed areas, where a high concentration of accommodation and continuous expansion of tourist units are observed.
The aim is to introduce a clear framework that will limit scattered construction and protect areas with intense environmental and infrastructural pressure, especially in the summer months.
At the same time, for saturated zones – which also include parts of Crete – a maximum limit of 100 beds is set for new tourist developments, while in developing areas the limit reaches up to 350 beds. This differentiation directly affects the way in which new investments will now be planned on the island.
Particular emphasis is also placed on the coastal zone of Crete, where any construction is prohibited in the first 25 meters from the coastline, with the aim of protecting the beaches from overbuilding and loss of natural landscape. The regulation is considered crucial for areas with intense tourist development, where pressure on the coasts is already high.
The new framework also introduces an overall categorization of the country into five types of tourist development areas, based on the intensity of tourism and the carrying capacity of each area.
Crete appears in more than one category, as it has both highly developed tourist areas and zones with development margin, which leads to differentiated rules per area.
An important parameter is also the pressure recorded on the water and infrastructure of Crete, which has led to a stricter approach to the design of new hospitality units.
The goal is for development to now be directly linked to the carrying capacity of the island, in order to avoid oversaturation.
The framework also integrates short-term rentals into a single plan, as Crete has seen a sharp increase in Airbnb-type accommodations, which affects both the tourism balance and the housing market.
According to the plan, all projects that already have approved environmental studies are not affected by the new regulations, ensuring the continuity of existing investments in Crete and other areas.
The process is under public consultation until May 25, with the aim of formulating a final framework that will define the new era in Greek tourism, with Crete being one of the most critical areas for the implementation of the new rules.
Source: neakriti.gr