SLOVENIA Trends and Developments Contributed by: Blaž Ogorevc and Miha Štravs, Šelih & partnerji, o.p., d.o.o.
tions more quickly than would be possible through new developments. In addition to larger hotel developments, boutique hotels and wellness-oriented accommodation are gaining popularity, particularly in alpine resorts and spa destinations. Forests and Agricultural Land Slovenia is one of the most forested countries in Europe, with forests covering a large share of the country’s territory. However, forest ownership is highly fragmented, with many private owners holding rela - tively small parcels of land. This fragmented ownership structure can make forest management more complex and may limit the efficient use of forest resources. The state remains one of the largest forest owners in Slovenia, and state-owned companies play an important role in managing forest resources and promoting sustainable forestry practic - es. In the case of large transactions involving forests, the state has a top-priority pre-emption right, which is regularly enforced in the desire to consolidate the ownership and management. Agricultural land in Slovenia is similarly fragmented, reflecting historical patterns of land ownership and inheritance. While Slovenia is not a major producer of large-scale agricultural crops, agricultural land remains an important component of the country’s rural economy and landscape. Based on the very recent amendment of the Nature Protection Act (ZON), the pre-emption rights of the state are expanded also to certain areas within Natura 2000, which are otherwise not subject to specific pro - tection regimes. Spatial Planning and Development: Implementation of ZUreP-3 Spatial planning procedures remain a central aspect of real estate development in Slovenia. The Spatial Planning Act (ZUreP-3) introduced certain reforms aimed at improving co-ordination between national and municipal planning authorities and streamlining the spatial planning procedures. How -
ever, critics argue that these measures will not be suf - ficient and that greater emphasis should be placed on flexibility in the use of certain areas and on reducing the timeframes for planning changes. The legislation also places greater emphasis on sus - tainable spatial development and the efficient use of land resources. Despite these reforms, development projects – particu - larly greenfield developments – may still face delays due to fragmented land ownership and complex and lengthy permitting procedures. In many cases, devel - opment land is owned by multiple private individuals, requiring developers to negotiate land acquisitions before initiating formal planning procedures. In addition, urban redevelopment projects often involve complex regulatory considerations, includ - ing environmental remediation, infrastructure require - ments and zoning adjustments. These factors can increase project timelines and development costs, and the effects of the recent reforms remain to be seen. Efforts are also underway to modernise planning pro - cedures through the digitalisation of administrative processes. Digital permitting systems and electronic planning platforms could help improve transparency and efficiency in development approvals in the future. Regulation of Short-Term Rentals and Housing Policy Short-term rental platforms, such as Airbnb and Booking.com, have become increasingly widespread in Slovenia, particularly in Ljubljana and major tour - ist destinations. While these platforms provide addi - tional income opportunities for property owners, they have also raised concerns about housing availability in urban areas. Parliament responded by adopting a new Hospital - ity Act, introducing stricter regulations on short-term leasing of residential units. The Act limits the number of days properties may be rented to tourists (30-270 days per year, depending on the housing affordability as assessed by municipalities), requires a 75% con -
564 CHAMBERS.COM
Powered by FlippingBook