Polish waters responsible for real estate valuation. The government will buy land in floodplains

On Tuesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a draft amendment to the flood act, providing, among others A voluntary purchase from owners of real estate particularly threatened with floods – the prime minister said. The project also assumes a simplified procedure for rebuilding houses.

It is a draft act amending the act on special solutions related to the removal of the effects of floods and some other acts. The designed regulations assume, among others Purchase of destroyed real estate by the State Treasury, conversion of apartments or single -family houses into municipal premises, a simplified procedure for rebuilding houses and support for entrepreneurs.

The purchase of real estate is to be organized by Polish Waters from the resources of the Treasury. It will be directed to building owners who have a legally built, destroyed house or apartment with a demolition decision. It must be located in areas at risk of floods. “Before selling, it will be possible to apply for Polish waters for the valuation of real estate” KPRM added. The purchase price is to contain the market value of the land and the reproductive value of the building without taking into account damage.

In addition, in justified cases, Polish Waters are to be able to indicate a plot that they want to buy and propose its purchase with a discount of 20 percent. The purchase is to include residential buildings that have not been destroyed by the flood, and the prohibition of development is to be introduced on the acquired real estate. “Plots acquired after the flood will not be purchased,” the Chancellery of the Prime Minister emphasized.

The designed regulations also assume that a destroyed apartment or house can be replaced with a municipal apartment on a “meter per meter” basis, i.e. a meter of destroyed apartment for a meter of municipal apartment (without taking into account the damage as a result of floods). “If the apartment was smaller than a municipal premises – the surcharge will cover the market price for each excess square meter,” said the office of the prime minister. She added that if the apartment was larger than a municipal premises, “the municipality would not pay the difference”. This program is to apply until September 2027.

Another change is the flood bonus for building renovations. It is to be directed to the owners or managers of multi -family buildings, if the damage is at least 5 percent. building values. The bonus amount will be between 50 and 70 percent. renovation costs, and the applications will be accepted by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego within 12 months of the damage.

The government also wants to simplify the procedures related to the reconstruction of houses so that owners of single -family houses up to 140 square meters meet “less formalities when rebuilding houses”. It is about allowing works based on the application instead of obtaining a building permit so far.

The regulations assume that an allowance of PLN 1,5 for drying will be extended to the end of 2025, and the time for submitting applications for renovation or reconstruction of real estate will be extended to June 30 this year.

In the case of entrepreneurs, the government wants to offer support for natural persons renting commercial premises for them. They can be allocated for renovations and repairs, and ZUS will pay them. Entrepreneurs themselves will gain new periods, for which their ZUS contributions will be discontinued, i.e. from August 1 to December 31, 2024 and from January 1 to May 31, 2025.

The project also contains changes regarding the reconstruction of damaged water devices. According to them, it is to take place without obtaining a decision on environmental conditions. Exemption from this obligation will not exempt from other procedures, e.g. in Natura 2000 areas. This solution is to apply to 66 investments that have been agreed with the European Commission by the Director General of Environmental Protection.

The procedure for cleaning the riverbeds is also to be simplified; Polish waters are to be able to remove trees and bushes without prior consent. This is also supposed to apply to areas between the shore line and the flood embankment or the natural high edge. The procedure – according to the project – is to be used until the end of 2026.

The project also assumes that municipalities where there are areas particularly threatened with floods will have to transfer the register of issued decisions to establish building conditions once a quarter. (PAP)

JLS/ Mick/