Court ruling for building bonus looms
In a significant development that could impact various stakeholders, the Council of State is expected to announce its ruling on building height bonuses provided by Greece’s New Building Regulation before Christmas.
This update was conveyed to lawyers representing involved parties ahead of Friday’s hearing at the country’s highest administrative court. The court has stipulated that it will only accept additional evidence for the next 10 days, effectively sidelining a controversial “secret” study commissioned by the Ministry of the Environment on the effects of the building bonuses.
During a meeting with the 13 lawyers representing municipalities, the Ministry of the Environment, construction companies with suspended building permits, and the Technical Chamber of Greece, Council of State President Michalis Pikramenos stated that the plenary’s decision would be issued by Christmas, dismissing suggestions of a postponement despite prior inquiries from the Ministry of the Environment regarding the court’s stance on potential delays.
The court clarified that additional documents would only be considered for the next 10 days, thereby excluding the aforementioned undisclosed study commissioned by the ministry.
Deputy Environment Minister Nikos Tagaras had set specifications for this study in late August, leaving insufficient time for a comprehensive evaluation.
The Fifth Section of the Council has previously ruled the building bonuses as unconstitutional, providing detailed arguments for this stance.
However, due to the significance of the case, it has been referred to the plenary for further deliberation.
While the New Building Regulation was introduced in 2012, the anticipated benefits of its incentives have yet to materialize, primarily hindered by the downturn in construction activity during Greece’s economic crisis.
