Design Process
What is the difference between urban, developable, and non-developable land?
We often find that our clients are unclear about the type of land where a plot they are interested in is located. For this reason, we have decided to share this post to clarify some basic concepts regarding the difference between urban, developable, and non-developable land.
Before we begin, we would like to clarify the difference between land classification and land qualification, as this can be confusing if one is not familiar with urban planning terms.
Broadly speaking, land classification, as its name suggests, refers to the different classes or types of land. In contrast, qualification refers to the use and building possibilities of a plot.
Qualifications are specific characteristics of a plot in relation to its building coefficient and the specific regulations that apply to it (permitted uses, alignments, or maximum height, among others).
Classification, as we will see, is the type of land for urban planning purposes and distinguishes between urban land, developable land, and non-developable land.
Let’s look at their main characteristics and what can be built on each of them!
Urban Land
Urban land is defined as such by the general municipal planning if it meets one of these three conditions:
Availability of basic services and facilities. The plot must have road access, water supply and drainage networks, and electricity supply.
This is one of the first checks we must perform before buying a plot, as a plot that does not have road access or water or electricity supply will likely incur future costs that the buyer will have to pay when the city council decides to develop the street.
Sometimes, we find very cheap plots where the access road is not developed; these plots usually have future debts with the city council that the owner will have to assume.
Building consolidation. To meet this condition, it will be necessary for our plot to be located within an area consolidated by construction in at least two-thirds of its buildable surface area.
When we speak of building consolidation, we refer to the existence of a solid urban fabric in most of the area where our plot is located, thereby ensuring that it is firm and stable urban land.
That is, if our plot is isolated, we will not have this building consolidation, but if it is a plot adjacent to an urban fabric, then it will be easier to meet this condition.
Conformity with planning. The land has been developed and urbanized following the specifications established in the planning.
That is, to determine if our plot is urbanized according to the planning determinations, we must verify that it does not present any irregularities and that it complies with the urban planning regulations of the municipality in which it is located.
Otherwise, it may be necessary to carry out a Special Plan, an urban planning instrument that allows for the regularization of irregularities in a territorial area from a specific sector.
From here, we must be careful, as not all urban land is the same. Within urban land, we must distinguish between consolidated urban land and unconsolidated urban land.
Consolidated urban land
This subcategory of land classification includes all plots considered as a building plot or a building plot through accessory works.
What does the concept of a building plot refer to?
We can define a building plot as a plot suitable for construction and urbanized in accordance with urban planning, meaning it is adjacent to a paved and lit road, with marked alignments and grades, which allows for the immediate granting of a license and whose construction does not imply the transfer of land.
When we speak of land transfer, we refer to areas that belong to the public administration and that it lends to us for a period for our use, to be returned in the future.
In the case of a building plot through accessory works, it means that our plot will still need its alignments and grades marked, although we can still consider it consolidated urban land.
However, we cannot let our guard down! A plot can lose its consolidated urban land status if the general urban planning subjects it to urban transformation actions.
Therefore, we recommend that you always stay well-informed about any impacts on your plot.
For this, it is highly advisable to contact an architect before buying the plot. In our sustainable architecture studio, in fact, we always carry out the necessary urban planning and legal checks and accompany you to view the plot before you begin purchase negotiations.
It is very important to be well-advised before buying, as we may encounter regulations that limit construction possibilities or plots with outstanding debts that must be taken into account in the purchase price.
Non-consolidated urban land
In this case, it refers to land not consolidated by urbanization, often also called rural nucleus land. This type of land requires urbanization works to acquire the status of a building plot.
These urbanization works may include the internal reform of the land, its urban renewal and improvement, the acquisition of public facilities, or its re-urbanization. All these actions will be defined by some development figure, such as a Special Plan or a Detailed Study.
Is buying unconsolidated urban land a good option?
Caution! Unconsolidated urban land will depend on the approval of a Plan or Study to be considered suitable for construction and to obtain a building permit.
This can sometimes require several owners to agree or the approval of a specific plan by the city council.
It is necessary to be careful with plots located in areas classified as unconsolidated urban land, as your project might be stalled for several years awaiting a positive urban planning resolution.
So much for urban land; now let’s move on to non-developable land to understand the difference between urban, developable, and non-developable land!
Non-Developable Land
Let’s start with non-developable land, as it presents more specific and easily distinguishable conditions.
Non-developable land is a type of land that has some specific protection due to its landscape, historical, archaeological, agricultural, forestry, livestock, mining, or cultural value.
It can also be land reserved for the development of infrastructure or public services.
Nevertheless, it is necessary to clarify that in some classes of non-developable land, it is legally possible to build. This usually involves single-family homes linked to agricultural or livestock exploitation, on large plots to avoid excessive building density, or buildings of public utility or social interest.
In this regard, it will be necessary to review each case in detail and, again, contact an architect before proceeding with the purchase process.
Developable Land
By exclusion, we could say that land will be developable if it does not present the characteristics of either urban or non-developable land.
We find different types of developable land, such as those where immediate transformation is planned, those that are not sectorized, and special developable land, which presents existing settlements or peculiar environmental characteristics.
Generally, to build on developable land, it will be necessary to first develop a Partial Plan or a Reparcelling Project, especially for special developable land.
As you can see, the value of land depends directly on its urban planning classification and qualification, and it is very important to be correctly informed about it before carrying out any operation.
In Catalonia, we have the Urban Planning Map of Catalonia (MUC) tool from the Generalitat.
We can also review information about a plot through the Spanish Cadastre website.
To assess the information of a plot, it is important that you request the simple note from the Property Registry, where the ownership of the plot will appear, as well as any outstanding debts.
You can do this yourselves through the Property Registry or you can request it through an intermediary company – you can easily find one online – which for about 20 euros completes the process in less than 24 hours.
Finally, do not forget to consult the city council for municipal regulations and possible easements or impacts, as well as the planning. As we have mentioned, one of the most important things will be to know if the plot is on an urbanized street with all services (water, electricity, etc.)
And in any case, as we always remind you, you can contact us without any obligation, and we will review this information with you, in addition to visiting the plot to assess it on-site.
Keep in mind that, during legal checks, it is important to visit the plot and consider the slope, sun exposure, neighbors, and construction possibilities, as well as potential impacts from magnetic or electromagnetic fields that may come from high-voltage lines or nearby antennas.
At Slow Studio, we carry out both legal and urban planning checks, as well as project viability and land condition assessments, performing measurements if necessary even before you make the purchase.
If you wish to expand on this information or have any questions about the difference between urban, developable, and non-developable land, please contact us, and we will be happy to help you carry out the purchase of your plot with complete assurance that it is free of any urban planning or legal issues.