Building on land in Croatia - location permits

Today we were asked a question regarding “Location Permits” for building plots, and how they differ from “Building Permits”. So here is a bit of information about them.

First things first. You can build on a plot of land as long as its been officially zoned as building land. You then need to obtain a Location Permit, and only then can you apply for a Building Permit, which if granted lets you start with your building project.

The Location Permit is issued by the local authority and it effectively confirms that what you intend to do on the land is allowable and that the local authority has granted its permission for you to proceed to the Building Permit stage.

To apply for the Location Permit you will need a set of plans from an architect, structural engineer, or land surveyor - depending on the complexity and scope of your project. These plans need only be high-level outlines at this stage, but they must specify:

• the size and the shape of the building plot, which you can get from the land registry, or by commissioning a land surveyor
• purpose of the proposed building (e.g. residential, office, industrial building, apartment block, etc)
• whether you intend to build one or more buildings on the plot
• the size and shape of the building(s)
• how you intend to position the building(s) on the plot
• how the building will be connected to the local infrastructure (eg, road access to the plot and utilities), which by implication needs to demonstrate that you have consent from the utilities companies and road authorities on how you intend to connect to them

You will also have to provide proof that there are no objections from any immediate neighbours regarding the size and shape of the proposed building

After you have been granted the Location Permit, you can then apply for a building permit that is in-line with the location permit issued to you.

Clearly, building land for sale with a location permit already granted is generally more expensive than land without a permit. Be careful, however. If you want to build something that is different to that which is specified on an existing Location Permit - e.g. if you want to build a 3 storey house, but have a location permit for a 2 storey house - then you will have to apply for a new Location Permit otherwise the subesequent Building Permit will be rejected.

If you’re interested in exploring buying a plot of land in Croatia for building purposes, then why not have a look at our Land For Sale in Croatia page.