What’s your vision?
20,000 m² of beachfront on Greece’s last undeveloped coast. What would you build?
Entos vs ektos schediou
Inside the plan vs outside. The two words that determine what you can build, how much, how tall, and how long it takes. Most foreign investors don't learn the difference until they've already bought.
The basics
Every piece of land in Greece is either entos schediou (εντός σχεδίου — inside an approved city/town plan) or ektos schediou(εκτός σχεδίου — outside it). Entos means the government has zoned the area, defined what can be built, and provided infrastructure. Ektos means it hasn't. About 70% of Greece is ektos — including most coastal land, rural areas, and islands.
The distinction affects everything: how much you can build, how tall, how fast, and how much it costs to get there.
The comparison
| Parameter | Entos schediouInside the plan | Ektos schediouOutside the plan |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum plot size | 200-1,000 sqm (varies by zone) | 4,000 sqm |
| Coverage ratio | 40-70% | 20% |
| Building coefficient (SD) | 0.40 - 2.40 | 0.20 |
| Maximum height | 10-32 m | 7.5 m |
| Maximum floors | 3-10 | 2 |
| Road frontage requirement | Per local plan | 25 m (must be recognized public road) |
| Setback from boundaries | Per local plan (often 2.5-5 m) | 15 m from all boundaries |
| Hotels allowed? | In most commercial/mixed/tourism zones | Yes, with tourism facility classification |
| Environmental license | Sometimes required | Usually required (PPS or full EIA) |
| Three clearances needed? | Sometimes (depends on location) | Almost always (forestry, archaeology, coastal) |
What you can actually build — ektos schediou
The building coefficient (syntelestis domisis) of 0.20 means you can build 0.20 sqm for every 1 sqm of land. The coverage ratio of 20% means your building footprint can cover 20% of the plot. With a 7.5m height limit and 2-floor cap, here's what that looks like in practice.
This is the minimum. Many investors are surprised by how constrained it is.
The sweet spot for a 4-star boutique. Enough land for pool, gardens, and parking.
Serious hotel territory. Common areas (lobby, restaurant, spa) partially exempt from SD calculation.
* Above 50,000 sqm, the SD may reduce to 0.12-0.15 but is applied to the full large parcel. PPCHSAA tourism framework allows enhanced terms.
The common areas exception: For hotels classified as “tourism facilities” (touristikes egkatastaseis), common areas — lobbies, restaurants, conference rooms — are partially exempt from the SD calculation. This effectively allows more construction than the raw numbers suggest. A licensed architect can calculate the exact exemption for your specific project.
What 20,000 sqm looks like — ektos schediou
Zoning categories within city plans
Inside an approved plan, what you can build depends on the zone your plot falls in. Not all zones allow hotels. The building terms vary dramatically — from 0.40 SD in residential zones to 2.40 in commercial centres.
The zone is defined by the local General Urban Plan (GPS — Geniko Polidomiko Schedio). Your architect or lawyer can obtain the exact zone designation and terms from the municipal YDOM.
| Zone | Hotels? | SD | Height |
|---|---|---|---|
| General ResidentialΓενική Κατοικία | Yes, with conditions | 0.60 - 1.60 | 10-24 m |
| Mixed UseΠολυμικτή | Yes — expressly permitted | 0.80 - 2.00 | 14-28 m |
| Commercial / CentralΚέντρο Πόλης | Yes — primary permitted use | 1.20 - 2.40 | 18-32 m |
| Tourism ZoneΖώνη Τουρισμού | Yes — designated for tourism | 0.40 - 1.20 | 10-18 m |
| Pure ResidentialΑμιγής Κατοικία | Generally NO | 0.40 - 0.80 | 7.5-14 m |
Which is better for a hotel?
Entos schediou
Best for: urban/town hotels, conference centres, city boutiques
Ektos schediou
Best for: beach resorts, boutique hotels, agrotourism, wellness retreats
Most resort-style hotels in Greece are built ektos schediou. The building constraints are tighter, but the land is cheaper, the settings are better, and the subsidies are higher. Costa Navarino is ektos schediou. So is most of the Messinian coast.
Related guides
The Ektos Schediou Crisis
Why you can't build on most out-of-plan land right now — the road access ruling explained.
The Three Clearances
Forestry, archaeology, coastal — the three authorities that must clear your land before you apply for a permit.
Building a Hotel in Greece
The complete 8-step permit and zoning guide for foreign investors.
20,404 sqm, ektos schediou, all terms verified
Beachfront at Lagouvardos, Messinia. On a recognized municipal road. Forestry, archaeological, and coastal clearances complete. Building terms confirmed: ~4,000 sqm buildable footprint, enough for an 80-100 room hotel with pool, gardens, and parking.
15 minutes from Costa Navarino. 55 minutes from Kalamata Airport. On the coast that Christopher Nolan chose for The Odyssey.