| > | | | | raising floors, opening new windows or doors, lifting the |
| If you buy a property in Croatia that is in an area that | | | | roof, demolishing existing walls & swimming pools. |
| is under the protection of the Cultural Heritage and you | | | | There are others but these are the most common. It is |
| intend to renovate the house or make exterior | | | | always best to ask your Croatian architect to have a |
| changes to it, you must seek permission from the | | | | preliminary discussion with the Split Cultural Heritage |
| county Cultural Heritage department as part of the | | | | Department during the initial design phase. This should |
| planning application process. Normal 0 false false false | | | | save you time and money. If they raise objections you |
| EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ | | | | are then able to negotiate, trying to find some middle |
| table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; | | | | ground, with your architect producing creative solutions |
| mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; | | | | to their objections. This can take a little time but is the |
| mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; | | | | most agreeable path. Having said that do not expect |
| mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; | | | | any major deviations in your favor, the rules & |
| mso-padding-alt:0pt 5.4pt 0pt 5.4pt; | | | | regulations are strict and it is unusual to get away with |
| mso-para-margin-top:0pt; mso-para-margin-right:0pt; | | | | anything that could be deemed to be out of the norm. |
| mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; | | | | One things for sure there is very little point submitting |
| mso-para-margin-left:0pt; line-height:115%; | | | | the application and hoping for the best. |
| mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; | | | | How important is the Split Cultural Heritage Department |
| font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; | | | | to my planning application ? They are extremely |
| mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; | | | | important since the planning office is very unlikely to |
| mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; | | | | approve an planning application without the permission |
| mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; | | | | of the Split Cultural Heritage Department. In fact, for |
| mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; | | | | applications in relation to the reconstruction of old stone |
| mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; | | | | houses located in protected areas, their approval is |
| mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} | | | | tantamount to being given permission to build. Of |
| If you buy a property in Croatia that is in an area that | | | | course the subsequent planning application must be |
| is under the protection of the Cultural Heritage and you | | | | made to the relevant Croatian planning authorities. |
| intend to renovate the house or make exterior | | | | Moreover, all the necessary and valid documentation |
| changes to it, you must seek permission from the | | | | relating to your property in Croatia must be provided. |
| county Cultural Heritage department as part of the | | | | Also, it is important to understand the situation |
| planning application process. | | | | regarding your neighbors who do have the right to |
| Many old towns in Croatia are protected and in some | | | | object, although they must have valid grounds in order |
| cases individual properties, with different rules applying | | | | to do so. However, assuming the documentation is in |
| to both. Clearly protected Croatian property comes | | | | order and there are no complaints from the neighbors |
| under closer scrutiny than Croatian properties that are | | | | then your application should be processed without |
| not directly protected but are located in a culturally | | | | delay. |
| protected area. The purpose of this article is to outline | | | | How long does it take the Split Cultural Heritage |
| the procedure relating to property in Croatia that is not | | | | Department to give their approval ? In general, although |
| directly protected but located in a protected area. | | | | it does depend on the complexity of the case, they |
| Furthermore for the purposes of this article we will | | | | give their approval within 30 days. If they have been |
| assume the county in question is Split Dalmatia. | | | | consulted prior to the application being made and any |
| So when is it necessary to seek permission from the | | | | necessary changes made to the project in |
| Split Dalmatia County Cultural Heritage Department ? | | | | accordance with their wishes, then there is very little |
| Generally speaking if you buy a property in Croatia or | | | | reason to slow the process down. It is a simple case |
| more specifically a property in Split and it is in a | | | | of them issuing the necessary approval document. |
| protected zone and you intend to renovate it and in | | | | What are the chances of having your application |
| doing so make changes to the interior, be that knock | | | | rejected by Split Cultural Heritage Department? For |
| down walls, put in new electrics, plumbing, sanitary | | | | basic renovation of your property in Croatia with only |
| equipment, windows or do anything else to the | | | | interior changes the chances are very small. If you are |
| property that constitutes a change to the existing | | | | making changes to the exterior this is a different |
| structure, you are supposed to get the permission of | | | | matter. As mentioned previously to avoid problems it is |
| the Split Dalmatia Culture Heritage Department. | | | | always best to consult with Split Cultural Heritage |
| Some people do not but for foreigners buying property | | | | Office prior to putting in your application. In fact if you |
| in Croatia it is highly advisable to do so. In fact in not | | | | are buying a property in Croatia that is in a culturally |
| doing so you are potentially breaking the law. For | | | | protected area and your property purchase is |
| some reason when foreigners buy property in Croatia | | | | dependent on being able to make changes to the |
| they sometime leave their common sense at home. | | | | exterior, it is a very good idea to get your Croatian real |
| The question to ask yourself is how would i approach | | | | estate agent to put you in contact with a Croatian |
| this if i was at home ? For anyone from a western | | | | architect who could make some preliminary enquiries. |
| european country the answer is to follow the | | | | Clearly it is not necessarily something a real estate |
| appropriate rules and regulations and employ the | | | | agent will want to be exposed to since it could affect |
| necessary professionals to help you do so. But for | | | | their sale. However, unless you have an initial opinion |
| some reason some people seem to think that small | | | | you are open to possible limitations regarding the |
| changes to a property in Croatia will go unnoticed | | | | redevelopment of the property which could affect |
| and having bought their dream home in Croatia cannot | | | | both your possible enjoyment of it and ultimately your |
| live with the idea that in fact what they thought they | | | | purchase decision. |
| could do or in lots of cases were told by their agent | | | | In summary there there is no hard and fast rule |
| they could do, might now not be able too. | | | | regarding the process of obtaining Croatian Cultural |
| However, in not following the necessary procedure | | | | Heritage approval for your planning application to |
| you are leaving yourself open to a lot of hassle and | | | | renovate or reconstruct your Croatian property |
| unnecessary cost, and in some cases possible | | | | situated inside a protected zone. The key is to do your |
| prosecution. This is especially true of the Croatian | | | | research, ask questions and make sure that if the real |
| island property where small communities are prone to | | | | estate is in a culturally protected zone, that you make |
| gossip especially during the winter period and it is highly | | | | contact with the relevant cultural heritage office to |
| likely you would get a visit from one of the relevant | | | | speak to a representative before you make your |
| authorities be that the Split Cultural Heritage | | | | purchase decision. |
| Department or the building inspector during the | | | | Of Importance: There is one other very important |
| construction process. If you cannot provide the | | | | piece of information that one must be aware of when |
| necessary documentation to validate the works being | | | | purchasing Croatian property that is located in a |
| undertaken they can shut down the site with | | | | culturally protected area. As a buyer you do not have |
| immediate effect. They will then ask you to either | | | | the right to purchase the property until it has been |
| legalise the works prior to starting again or knock | | | | offered for purchase to the local council, county council |
| down and remove what you have done so far, if | | | | and Republic of Croatia. The law states that each |
| legalisation is not possible. To legalise the building works | | | | institution must confirm its intention to purchase within |
| you will need permission from Split Cultural Heritage | | | | 60 days from receipt of the vendors confirmation that |
| Department, as well as the local planning office. | | | | the property is for sale. If none of the institutions |
| So at what point do you apply for permission from the | | | | correspond within the given period then they |
| Split Cultural Heritage Department ? This is always | | | | automatically forfeit their right to purchase and you can |
| done at the beginning of the process by your architect | | | | legally buy the property. |
| who supplies the relevant department officer for the | | | | In most cases an option contract is signed with a |
| area in which your Split property is located with your | | | | deposit paid onto an approved third parties account |
| intended project. If you are doing basic renovation and | | | | with completion 14 days after having received |
| modernisation to your Split property, which includes | | | | confirmation from all three institutions that they do not |
| rearranging the interior of the object, knocking through | | | | intend to purchase or after the 60 day period has |
| walls, putting in new bathrooms, new joinery, electrics, | | | | passed, whichever is sooner. Please note whilst this |
| plumbing etc then it is, in most cases, not necessary to | | | | is a necessary process, it is extremely rare for any of |
| contact them prior to submitting the project. However, | | | | the institutions to take up the offer to purchase |
| if you intend to do anything that constitutes a change | | | | Croatian properties in culturally protected areas. They |
| to the existing structure with particular regard to the | | | | do not have need or the means to do so. However, |
| buildings outside appearance then it is essential they | | | | the procedure must be followed since failure to do so |
| are contacted and consulted prior to submitting the | | | | can result in the Croatian property purchase contract |
| planning application. | | | | being cancelled with you left responsible for getting |
| The sort of things that area deemed to be contentious | | | | your money back from the vendor. |
| when reconstructing your property in Croatia are; | | | | |