The Municipality of Folegandros submitted its observations in relation to the preparation of the Local Urban Plan (LUP), setting clear limits and guidelines for maintaining the quality of the tourist offer and the physiognomy of the island. The main concern is to prevent excessive off-plan development, protect traditional settlements and preserve landscapes of particular natural beauty, with an emphasis on sustainability and the retention of local identity.
In particular, according to the Municipality, Folegandros has, to date, quality accommodation, an element that makes the island attractive to a selected tourist audience and creates prospects for the development of experiential, gentle tourism. To avoid the problems of other islands, such as oversupply or tourism monoculture, the Municipality proposes strict conditions for new hotels and residences, limiting off-plan construction and licensing regardless of the number of beds.
Particular emphasis is placed on swimming pools and reservoirs, which are prohibited in the off-plan area and limited to one per building permit for main tourist accommodation within the plan. This measure aims to avoid burdening the natural environment and to maintain the scale of the island, as excessively large private facilities often alter the aesthetic and ecological balance of the area.
Other key points of the TPS include:
-Prohibition of strategic investments that combine tourism and real estate, such as marinas, golf courses or theme parks.
-Specification of maximum integrity for new residences and a limit of 120 sq.m. for ground-floor stone structures, with the aim of preserving traditional morphology.
-Special arrangements for the reuse of traditional buildings with mild tourist uses of the albergo diffuso type, i.e. “scattered hotel”.
-Regulation of short-term leasing to limit social and economic pressure on local communities.
At the same time, priority is given to supporting the primary sector, with water subsidies and improving rural roads, and to strengthening businesses that operate all year round, strengthening the permanent presence of residents.
The decision of the Municipality of Folegandros aims at the balanced development of tourism, ensuring that the increase in accommodation and visitors will be combined with the preservation of the island’s physiognomy, aesthetics and natural resources. With these measures, the island seeks to establish its image as a destination for gentle, quality tourism that respects the environment and the place.
