Officials in Santorini are set to implement major changes under a proposed urban planning scheme that will significantly tighten building regulations across the island, in an effort to address decades of rampant development and surging tourism . If approved, the new framework would expand protected land from 21.8% of the island to 67.3% - meaning more than two-thirds of Santorini would be off-limits for development.

Tourism development zones would also shrink sharply, from 59.8% to just 6.8% of the island, one celebrated by holidaymakers for its unmatched caldera views and whitewashed cliffs. Under the draft plan, new large-scale tourism projects would face tougher restrictions.

The minimum plot size required for tourism facilities - including hotels and resorts - would incre

See Full Page