Spatial planning within the framework of Directive Seveso III

a comparative study between Greece and Cyprus

Abstract

The current paper is a comparative study of the implementation of the Seveso III Directive in Greece and Cyprus. Specifically, the study focuses on Article 13 of the Directive, which concerns spatial planning, and investigates both the relevant planning and development control practices that are followed by each country, as well as the production of tangible results concerning the protection of the population and the infrastructure in the case of a large-scale industrial accident. The analysis covers all three main areas of concern Article 13 of the Directive, namely: the planning of land uses near Seveso establishments, the control of the development of Seveso establishments or other uses located near Seveso establishments, and the actions that should be planned with regards to existing establishments. The analysis concludes that Article 13 has been successfully integrated in the Cypriot legislation, since its provisions are associated to and applied through established practices and procedures, while the produced local legislation now covers all three main areas of interest of the Seveso Directive. Due to the above, the population and the infrastructure enjoy comprehensive protection in case of a large-scale industrial accident. On the contrary, the integration of Article 13, as well as the protection of the population and the infrastructure, is incomplete and fragmented in the case of Greece. In particular, Greece is lacking a national and regional policy framework for the allocation and development of Seveso establishments, while, at local level, the absence of a coherent policy framework leads each local plans to suggest different and sometimes conflicting policies. In addition, the framework for the control of the development of uses located in the vicinity of Seveso establishments is unclear, while, till today, there has not been developed a policy framework to tackle the challenges associated with the existing establishments.