The Chairman of the Council for the Review of Building Code Exceptions, Sotiris Ktoridis, while at the same time expressing his disagreement with the general tone and conclusions of the Audit Office’s report on urban planning permits. Speaking on the “Alpha Kalimera” program, he argued that completely eliminating the possibility of exemptions would create serious problems for both small and large-scale developments.
As he explained, any property owner wishing to carry out a development that does not fully comply with the provisions of urban planning schemes may submit an application for an exemption. This can range from a small residence—for which the permitted floor area ratio must be exceeded by 10–15 square meters—to large commercial and tourism developments. “Any applicant whose development deviates from specific provisions of the development plan—whether the local plan or the policy statement—may file an application for an exemption,” he noted.
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He made special mention of the retroactive licensing of unauthorized structures, clarifying that the Deviation Review Board does not have the authority to reject applications solely because a development has already been built illegally. “The law does not allow us to reject any development simply because it is unauthorized,” he emphasized, adding that “the law allows the Council of Ministers to grant a planning permit by way of exception even for a development that has already been completed.” He also pointed out that the competent authorities should intervene in a timely manner, before an illegal construction is completed and the Council is faced with a fait accompli.
Mr. Ktoridis agreed with the recommendation to reassess the handling of unauthorized structures, noting, however, that any legislative changes fall under the responsibility of the executive and legislative branches. At the same time, he referred to the strict instructions from the Minister of the Interior, Konstantinos Ioannou, regarding fully documented and justified recommendations. “We must reassess how unauthorized structures are addressed. We, as the Council, have no authority; we have no jurisdiction to reject any unauthorized development that has already been completed simply because it is unauthorized,” he emphasized.
At the same time, he strongly disagreed with the possibility of creating a rigid urban planning system, which would not allow for exceptions even when they are deemed necessary for a business’s functionality or competitiveness. “It’s not all black and white,” he noted, citing as examples hotels and other developments that require specific relaxations of regulations. He also recalled the urban planning incentives granted since 2013 to jump-start the economy, arguing that they contributed to the growth of the construction and tourism sectors.
In conclusion, the Chairman of the Council for the Study of Exceptions questioned the way in which the issue of single-family homes in agricultural zones is presented in the report, arguing that such developments have been provided for in development plans for decades. He noted, in fact, that until the policy statement was amended in 2024, the construction of single-family homes was permitted even in areas subject to irrigated land readjustment. “I believe we should conduct a more thorough analysis before drawing conclusions,” he stated, warning that presenting the findings without the full urban planning and legislative context could create a misleading impression regarding decisions made by previous Councils.
