Special provisions for Crete in new tourist plan

A Special Planning Framework for Tourism, with a clear emphasis on sustainable development, resilience of destinations and the safeguarding of the country’s natural and cultural resources, was presented at a press conference on 11th May by the Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and the Minister of the Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou.

The two ministers stand at lecterns several metres apart with a large screen in the centre behind them.
The Tourism Minister Olga Kefalogianni and Minister of the Environment and Energy Stavros Papastavrou present the draft Special Planning Framework for Tourism, which is open for public consultation until 15th June. The presentation took place on 11th May at the Conrad Athens The Ilissian, the first condo hotel in Greece, on the site of the historic Hilton Hotel. Photo: Ministry of Tourism.

The plan will be open for public consultation until 15th June and following completion of the consultation process it will be submitted to the National Planning Council. The aim is for the relevant Joint Ministerial decision to be signed by the end of June.

The main plank of the Special Planning Framework is the transition to a tourist model with a smaller environmental footprint, with a rational management of natural resources and protection of biodiversity. At the same time it will promote the development of modern, sustainable infrastructures, the strengthening of organised patterns of zoning with clear environmental specifications, and the speeding up of transparent and predictable permit procedures. Special emphasis is given to the balanced distribution of tourist activity with the aim of reducing pressures in saturated areas and bringing forward new, alternative and thematic destinations.

Categorisation of areas
Among the objects of the new planning framework, it was announced, are the better organisation and management of tourist destinations, especially in areas which are under increased pressure, the formulation of clearer zoning regulations for tourist activities and more effective coordination of all the levels of spatial and urban planning. The areas are categorised according to the spatial requirements of tourist activity.

The basic categorisation is effected according to the intensity of the tourist phenomenon, chiefly taking account of the number of tourist beds in relation to the area and the permanent population of each Municipal Unit. On the basis of these criteria, the areas are divided into five categories: 1) Controlled Development Areas, 2) Developed Areas, 3) Developing Areas, 4) Early Development Areas and 5) Areas of Special Development Assistance.

Map of the lower half of the country with zoning areas marked in different colours.
Partial zoning map of Greece showing the different categories for tourist development. The categories are: red – category 1; dark blue – category 2; light blue – category 3; yellow – category 4; pale yellow – category 5. The two category 1 areas in Crete are the Municipal Unit of Nea Kydonia in Chania and the area of Hersonissos in Heraklion.

Crete
At the same time, more specific categorisation is envisaged for the island areas. The islands – including Crete and Evia – are categorised additionally on the basis of their area into three distinct groups, with different directions and limits to development for each group. Crete is treated on a different basis from the other islands, because of its size, population and its overall developmental and touristic profile.

Table listing the Municipal Units in alternating green and white bands.
   Development categories for the Municipal Units of Chania.

The island’s Municipal Units fall normally into the basic categories 1 to 5, according to the intensity of touristic development and the pressures they are under, which means that different areas of Crete will be subject to different building limits, different development limits and a different degree of restrictions, according to their perceived capacity and the level of overcrowding in each area. On the published map, the Municipal Unit of Nea Kydonia and the area of Hersonnissos in Heraklion are coloured red, denoting Category 1 areas.

Buildable limits
Strict buildable limits are also being introduced for new tourist developments, the minimum plot sizes for each category being as follows:
— 16 stremmata in category 1 areas,
— 12 stremmata in category 2 areas,
— 8 stremmata in areas 3 to 5.

Number of beds
For the first time in such a clear manner, the new Special Planning Framework introduces limits to the number of tourist beds in new developments, chiefly on the islands and in areas of increased touristic pressure. Thus building is now linked to the capacity of each destination.

Specifically the plan makes the following provisions.
— Category 1 (Controlled Development) areas, which are areas of exceptionally high touristic load, environmental sensitivity and overcrowding. In these areas there is a limit of 100 beds for new tourist developments on the islands. At the same time the minimum area on which building is allowed is increased to 16 stremmata (16,000 sq m)
— Category 2 (Developed) areas, which are areas with strong touristic development but under less pressure than category 1.
A maximum of 350 beds is allowed, while the minimum buildable area is set at 12 stremmata.
— Categories 3 to 5, i.e. Developing Areas, Early Development Areas and Areas of Special Development Assistance. Here the maximum number of beds follows the standard limit across the board, however development is subject to special conditions on capacity and spatial organisation, The minimum buildable area is 8 stremmata.

Coastal zone
The new planning framework also sets strict rules for the coastal zone. New building and landscaping is completely forbidden in the zone from 0 to 25 metres from the shoreline. The only exceptions are for works of access for the disabled and for ambulances, and works which are provided for in the legislation for beaches and the seashore.
(Haniotika Nea, 12/05/26)

The full Greek text of the draft plan can be found here: https://ypen.gov.gr