Rivals make their case over building height bonus

In a high-stakes court session, Greece's Council of State reviewed arguments on Friday regarding the constitutionality of building height and zoning bonuses under the New Building Regulation.

Municipalities, led by Athens and the Technical Chamber of Greece, argued that the New Building Regulation has led to uncontrolled urban expansion without proper infrastructure. Representing Alimos, Professor Dimitris Melissas warned the incentives encouraged population growth without adequate infrastructure. Llawyer Vasilis Papadimitriou called the policy an "unprecedented environmental assault."

On the other side, developers and the state defended the bonuses as environmentally necessary. Developer advocates cautioned against ruling these provision of the regulations unconstitutional, warning of mass demolitions and legal consequences.