It is also common for the building permit to expire and for work to be completed, e.g. installation of a roof, finishing of facades, plastering, floors and other works for the completion of the project. However, the completion of unfinished constructions is a complicated process both in terms of its licensing and its implementation, because it is governed by strict urban planning provisions, which if not observed can make a building even arbitrary. For this reason, citizens who wish to continue construction work on a property should contact the engineer who will undertake the process of legal reopening of the construction site.
What is the latest urban planning regulations?
Extension of the validity of a building permit for an indefinite period, provided that by the expiry of the validity of the permit or its revision act, the bearing body, the facades of the building and the roof of the building have been completed, where this is mandatory and provided that the owner and his supervising engineer of the project submit a signed schedule of the progress of the project execution to the competent YDOM (Urban Planning).
Restart build with notification. It concerns an unfinished building in which, in order to continue the work of any phase, the owner is obliged to inform the Town Planning Department in writing before any start or continuation of the work.
Perform additional tasks with notification. It concerns a building whose building permit is valid and the owner wants to carry out additional works or additions, which are not included in the building permit. In this case, the notification statement is submitted electronically and registered in the electronic permit file before the start of these works. In the notification, all the additional works to be carried out are mentioned and within a period of two 2 months, a complete supplementary study is submitted. In any case, this study must be submitted before the date of autopsy by the controlling engineer provided for by the control procedure for the application of building permits, in accordance with the new urban planning law. If the notification of execution of additional works is not submitted in time, these additional works are recorded as arbitrary or as urban planning violations, depending on the category to which they fall, and a stoppage of construction work is imposed.
By when do the owners have to finish the facades of the building?
All facades of the buildings must be completed for reasons of aesthetics of the city and safety within six (6) years from the date of issuance of the corresponding building permit, regardless of the progress of the works inside the buildings. More specifically, the following apply:
completion within (4) four years from the implementation of the carrying organization, as evidenced by the conclusion of the building inspector in constructions located in city centers, in traditional parts of cities, in traditional settlements, in areas of special natural beauty, in archaeological sites, as well as in historical places
completion within six (6) years from the implementation of the carrying organization evidenced by the conclusion of the building inspector in constructions, which are located in all other areas.
What happens when the owners are unable to complete the work?
In the event that the facades cannot be completed, the owners must inform the Town Planning Department in writing and submit a relevant study to the Architecture Council, for the constructions that must be made to cover the building. The study includes a technical report with a description of constructions, accompanied by indicative views.
These structures are allowed to be of any material consistent with the case, such as wooden panels, perforated sheet metal surfaces, composite structures with uprights and filling the voids with wood, shiplap or any other material deemed by the Architectural Council that:
it is aesthetically harmonious with the environment
aesthetically upgrades the surrounding space,
has a construction structure such that the safety of citizens is ensured.
All the above constructions after the submission of the study must be carried out within the prescribed time limit, in order to cover the facades of the building.
What happens when the owner is indifferent and leaves his building unfinished in public view?
In case of non-submission of a study or non-implementation of this by the owner, an annual maintenance fine is imposed, the amount of which, the enforcement procedure and any other related matter are determined by a decision of the Minister of Environment and Energy.
How do we construct a roof or fence in a building whose building permit has expired?
In these cases, a new building permit is required even if they are provided for in the building permit.
What is the validity of building permits?
Depending on the category, the following apply:
The building permit pre-approval for buildings is valid for one (1) ewhile for buildings with a total area of more than five thousand (5000) sq.m. valid for two (2) years
The building permit is valid for four (4) years from its issuance.
Especially for large buildings with a total area of more than five thousand (5,000) square meters, it is valid for six (6) years
Demolition, excavation, embankment, landscaping and tree cutting permits are valid for one (1) year from their issuance.
The permits for the legalization of arbitrary constructions, in which the execution of their construction work is not foreseen, are valid without time limitation.
The Small Scale Works permit is valid for one (1) year from its grant.
When is the building permit revised?
for four (4) years from the date of its expiry and in accordance with the provisions in force at the time of issuing the review deed, if by the expiry of the validity of the permit the bearing organization of the building has not been terminated,
for four (4) years from the date of its expiry and in accordance with the provisions in force at the time of its issuance, if by the expiry of the validity of the permit the bearing organization of the building has been terminated,
for an indefinite period and in accordance with the provisions that were in force at the time of its issuance, if by the expiry of the validity of the license or its revision act, the bearing body, the facades of the building and the roof of the building have been completed, where this is mandatory and as long as the owner and the supervising engineer of the project submit a signed progress schedule of the project's execution to the competent YDOM.
Small scale work approvals for one (1) year.
The demolition permit is revised, after its expiration, to extend its validity by one (1) year.