It causes concern owners of monuments the information that the filing of legislation on the issue of abandoned buildings. And that’s because until today the information that have seen the light of day have two very serious issues: the first concerns under what conditions a building will be labeled abandoned – and how dangerously “broadened” this definition can be – and the second concerns the possibility of loss of use or of the property, without the consent of the owner, by the municipality or another body. Yes, the representatives of the owners preserves they talk about backroom consultations.
The representatives of the owners of listed buildings speak of behind-the-scenes consultations.
As everything shows, the issue of abandoned buildings is going to be approached on two or three parallel levels. First, there is the information that the Ministry of Environment he is going to include relevant regulation in an urban planning law, which he will present at the beginning of the year. Secondly, the issue is also “touched” by the special spatial framework for tourism that is being finalized. Also, with the recent amendment, with which the “Regeneration of Athens S.A.” turned into “Anaplasi S.A.” with an object for all of Greece, there is information that the new organization will also enter into the issue of abandoned buildings.
“The majority of property owners are particularly concerned about the developments. We have the impression that various “models” are being promoted behind the scenes for the utilization of abandoned monuments, which we are completely opposed to,” says Konstantina Kokotou, special secretary of the Panhellenic Association of Preserved Buildings and Monuments. “Our concern lies in two points. The first is how to define the concept of abandoned in relation to preserved. We are concerned about what the conditions will be for a building to be classified as abandoned. If they will be limited only to what has been characterized as ready-made or will it set other conditions”. The issue that owners fear, without saying it directly, is that the definition will be used as a “vehicle” to take away someone’s use or ownership of a building because a municipality or some company is interested in it.
The second issue obviously concerns the very issue of dealing with these buildings. “Plans that have come to our attention informally allow a municipality to step in, restore the building’s structural fitness and give the owner a specific time frame to complete the restoration, failing which they can take over the use or claim and his property”, says o George Misoulis, general secretary of the association. “It is true that many owners are unable to undertake the enormous cost of restoring a listed building, resulting in the buildings falling into a bad state over time. But we could follow the legislation of Cyprus, which subsidized 100% the restoration of these buildings and gave generous tax exemptions for their maintenance. Or even the example of EOT, how it saved the mansions of Pelion by repairing them and operating them for 10 years as guesthouses – but then returning them to their owners”.
“It is a different matter to demolish an insignificant dilapidated house and another to protect the architectural heritage,” adds Mrs. Kokotou. “The State has responsibility for the protection of the latter, based on the Granada Convention which it has signed. Removal of ownership or use without the owner’s consent is out of the question for us.”
It is worth noting that in a recording carried out by Region of Atticathe abandoned buildings in Municipality of Athens they are estimated at 1,200, the majority of whom are located in the center. However, the data is not up-to-date, especially after the rapid touristization of the center, but also the demolition of (unpreservable) single-family houses to build apartment buildings. It is thought that in cases of large derelict buildings, the most likely problem is multi-ownership, an issue that municipalities can now have insight into through the completion of the cadastral register.
