National Contact Point for Renewable Energy Sources

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• by mail
• electronically

What is a local spatial development plan

A local spatial development plan is a resolution adopted by a city or municipal council that regulates land use within the area of that city or municipality. It is also referred to as a "local plan" or simply "the plan".

The plan is a local law act, meaning it is binding only within the municipality that adopted it.

The plan determines the purpose and manner of land development. From the plan, you can learn, among other things:

• what you can build
• how tall the building can be
• where the access road to your property will be
• what may be built next to your property

Important! Investments not permitted by the plan are prohibited.

Some investments can only be implemented based on the plan.

If you want to carry out such an investment in an area without a valid plan, submit an application for the adoption of a local plan. If your property is covered by a plan that designates a different land use than what you intend, you may submit an application to amend the plan.

What does a local spatial development plan contain

• a textual part, and
• a graphic part

What investments can only be implemented based on a local spatial development plan

• retail facilities with a sales area exceeding 2,000 m². This refers to the area designated for direct retail sales. It does not include service and gastronomy areas or auxiliary areas such as warehouses, offices, communication routes, exhibition spaces, etc.
• a wind power plant or wind farm
• an investment in a health resort, within zone "A" of health resort protection. Information about the area covered by this zone can be obtained from the city or municipal office
• an investment on former military airport grounds
• an investment on the grounds of a former military unit
• an investment on the grounds of a former Russian Federation military unit
• an investment in the area of a former Nazi extermination camp
• an investment near a public-use airport
• an investment in an area designated as a cultural park. This is an area established by the municipal council to protect the cultural landscape – a natural landscape transformed by humans, containing elements of multiple cultures from different periods that are important to preserve. Information about the area designated as a cultural park can be obtained from the city or municipal office
• an investment on agricultural and forest lands – if these lands were not previously designated for development, e.g. in the local plan

Additionally, you must apply for the adoption of a local plan if such an obligation has been introduced by the municipality’s study of conditions and directions of spatial development. The study is adopted by the municipal council and defines the spatial policy of the municipality.

The study of conditions and directions of spatial development must include:

• the location of retail facilities with a sales area exceeding 2,000 m²
• areas where devices generating energy from renewable sources with a capacity exceeding 100 kW will be located, as well as their protective zones related to restrictions in construction, development, and land use

It is also possible to adopt a local plan for investments in mining areas – if the investment requires a concession and if the intended activity specified in the concession is expected to have significant environmental impacts.

Important! The provisions of the local plan must be consistent with the study of conditions and directions of spatial development – before submitting an application for the adoption or amendment of the plan, check the intended use of your property in the study. You can find it at the relevant city or municipal office. Some cities and municipalities make the study and local plans available on their websites or in spatial information systems.

You may also submit an application for an excerpt and extract from the study.

When can an investment be implemented without a local plan

• development conditions, or
• determination of the location of a public purpose investment – when the investment serves a public function, e.g. schools, government buildings, technical infrastructure networks

Remember that some investments may be implemented based on special laws – regardless of the provisions of the local plan. Special laws apply, for example, to the construction of public roads, public airports, LNG terminals, or the Central Communication Port.

Important! In the absence of a plan, any permanent change in land use not involving construction (even completely unrelated to building construction) requires a decision on development conditions.

At any time.

The service can be carried out at:

• city or municipal offices
• city offices with county rights

You can submit the application for the adoption or amendment of a local plan electronically via the e-Budownictwo portal.

Submit the application for the adoption or amendment of the local plan to the city or municipal office.

As the recipient, indicate:

• the mayor, town mayor, or city president

• the municipal council

1. Prepare and submit an application for the adoption or amendment of the local plan

The mayor, town mayor, or city president will assess your application to determine whether to initiate the preparation of the plan and whether your application complies with the municipality’s spatial development study.

If your application is deemed justified, geodetic materials will be prepared and the scope of planning work will be determined. The mayor, town mayor, or city president may then forward your application to the municipal council, which may adopt a resolution to initiate the preparation of the local plan.

Important! Your application is not processed like a typical administrative case — where you receive a response within a specified timeframe. An application for the adoption or amendment of a local plan is treated as a proposal. The regulations do not provide any procedures or deadlines for its consideration. The mayor, town mayor, or city president may accept or reject your application. You cannot appeal this decision.

Your application must be registered in the register of applications for the preparation or amendment of the local plan, maintained by the mayor, town mayor, or city president. In practice, the more applications for the adoption or amendment of the local plan are registered for a given area, the more likely it is that the city or municipality authorities will decide to initiate the preparation of the plan.

Required documents

Some municipalities require a copy of the base or cadastral map with the property in question marked.

2. The municipal council adopts a resolution to initiate the preparation of the local plan

Before adopting the resolution, the mayor, town mayor, or city president conducts analyses regarding the justification for initiating the plan and the degree of compliance of the proposed solutions with the spatial development study. Additionally, geodetic materials are prepared for the plan and the necessary scope of planning work is determined.

The resolution includes a graphic annex showing the boundaries of the area covered by the draft plan. The council may refuse to initiate the preparation of the plan — such a decision cannot be appealed. If your application concerns an investment that can only be implemented after the adoption of the local plan, refusal is unlikely.

The voivode is informed of the adopted resolution and verifies its compliance with the law. Institutions and offices that will later issue opinions and approvals for the plan are also notified.

The mayor, town mayor, or city president announces the adoption of the resolution to initiate the preparation of the plan. The announcement is published in the local press, online, or in another manner typical for your municipality — e.g. posted at the office, on poles, notice boards, or buildings near the property affected by the plan. The announcement includes information on the form, place, and deadline for submitting applications to the plan.

Anyone may submit an application to the plan. The deadline for submission is at least 21 days from the date of the announcement. After the deadline, the mayor, town mayor, or city president reviews the applications.

Important! If you learn that the preparation of a plan for your property has begun — and you were not the one who submitted the application, or the procedure was initiated ex officio — remember to submit an application to the plan. This allows you to express your expectations regarding the intended use of your property at the earliest possible stage. If you do not do this, a draft plan may be prepared that does not align with your intended use of the property.

Received documents

3. Preparation of the draft local spatial development plan

The mayor, town mayor, or city president is responsible for preparing the draft local plan.

The draft consists of a textual part and a graphic part.

Textual part of the draft

• the legal basis for adopting the resolution
• specification of the integral parts of the resolution
• mandatory and optional provisions

• land use provisions must specify the intended use of individual areas or the principles of their development, including the name of the land use class and a symbol with numbering distinguishing them from other areas
• provisions on spatial order protection and shaping must specify:
  • features of spatial development elements that require protection, shaping, or revitalization
  • orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on environmental, nature, and landscape protection must include orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on landscape shaping must include orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on cultural heritage and monument protection, including cultural landscapes and contemporary cultural assets, must specify protected objects and areas under the local plan, including orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on public space shaping requirements must specify, in particular, the principles for placing temporary service facilities, technical devices, and greenery in public space areas, including orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on building and land development must include:
  • principles, parameters, and indicators referred to in Article 15(2)(6) of the Act, including the minimum number of parking spaces in relation to the number of residential units, number of people who may simultaneously occupy the building, number of employees, or the area of service and production facilities
  • if needed, provisions referred to in Article 15(3)(8) and (10) of the Act
• provisions on land or facility development methods referred to in Article 15(2)(7) of the Act must include orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on detailed rules and conditions for land consolidation and division must specify the parameters of plots resulting from consolidation and division, in particular the minimum or maximum:
  • plot frontage widths and areas
  • angle of plot boundaries in relation to the road lane or boundary lines of the road area
• special conditions for land development and usage restrictions must include orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on modernization, expansion, and construction of communication and technical infrastructure systems must include:
  • specification of the communication layout and technical infrastructure network, including their parameters and classification of roads and other communication routes
  • specification of connections between the internal and external communication and infrastructure systems
• provisions on methods and deadlines for temporary land development, arrangement, and use must include orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development, including the deadline by which temporary development, arrangement, and use may be carried out
• if needed, provisions on areas for rehabilitation of existing buildings and technical infrastructure, as well as areas requiring transformation or reclamation, must include orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• if needed, provisions on recreational and leisure areas and areas for mass events must specify the principles for equipping these areas with technical and construction facilities, as well as orders, prohibitions, allowances, and restrictions in land development
• provisions on the percentage rate used to determine the fee referred to in Article 36(4) of the Act may vary for different areas or groups of areas

Graphic part of the draft

• name of the local plan
• scale in numerical and linear form
• information on the coordinate system compliant with the national spatial reference system and indication of the north direction
• information on the source of the materials used from the national geodetic and cartographic resource
• extract from the municipality’s spatial development study with boundaries of the area covered by the draft local plan, along with a legend containing symbols used in the extract
• legend
• boundaries of the area covered by the local plan
• specification of land use and boundary lines separating areas with different uses or development principles, along with their symbols and graphic markings with numbering distinguishing them from other areas
• building lines
• boundaries and markings of areas or facilities

Financial impact forecast

• forecast of the impact of the local plan’s provisions on the municipality’s own revenues and expenditures, including property tax revenues and other income related to municipal property transactions, as well as fees and compensations
• forecast of the impact of the local plan’s provisions on expenditures related to the implementation of technical infrastructure investments that fall under the municipality’s own tasks
• conclusions and recommendations regarding the adoption of proposed solutions in the draft local plan, based on their financial implications

4. The draft plan is subject to consultation and review by various authorities and institutions

The mayor, town mayor, or city president introduces changes to the draft local plan in accordance with the received opinions and agreements.

5. Public display of the draft local plan

The mayor, town mayor, or city president announces the public display of the draft plan at least 7 days before it is made available for public viewing. The announcement is published in the local press, online, and posted at the municipal office. You may also find it displayed on poles, notice boards, or buildings located near the property affected by the plan.

The announcement includes information about the location and dates of the public display, the date of the public discussion, and the deadline for submitting comments. The plan must be available for public viewing for at least 21 days. The municipal authorities organize consultations (a public discussion and sometimes additional consultation meetings) with residents, during which comments and suggestions can be submitted.

If you disagree with the provisions of the draft plan, you have the right to submit your comments. Comments can be submitted by post, in person at the municipal or city office, or electronically — signed with a qualified electronic signature or a trusted profile. Comments must be submitted no later than 14 days after the end of the public display period.

The mayor, town mayor, or city president reviews the comments. This must be done within 21 days from the end of the comment submission period. All comments are recorded in a register that includes information on how each comment was addressed. This register is publicly accessible, but the decisions contained in it cannot be appealed. The mayor, town mayor, or city president then introduces amendments to the draft local plan and repeats the procedure as necessary — for example, by re-consulting the revised plan with the relevant authorities. If the scope of the amendments does not affect the conditions of the previous agreements, re-consultation is not required.

After the amendments, the plan should be displayed again for public viewing. The draft plan is then submitted to the municipal council.

6. The municipal council adopts the local plan

The municipal council, after confirming the plan’s compliance with the spatial development study and resolving how the submitted comments have been addressed, adopts the local plan by vote. At the same time, it decides on the implementation method of the technical infrastructure investments specified in the plan.

The adopted local plan, along with annexes and the complete planning documentation, is submitted to the voivode.

If the municipal council determines that changes to the plan are necessary, it returns the plan for revision. The amendments are made by the mayor, town mayor, or city president.

The amended part of the draft plan is again subject to consultation with the relevant authorities.

7. The resolution on the local plan is published in the voivodeship official journal

The voivode assesses the compliance of the adopted plan with legal regulations.

If no irregularities are found, the voivode publishes the municipal council’s resolution on the adoption of the local plan in the voivodeship official journal. The plan becomes legally binding no earlier than 14 days after its publication.

The voivode may declare the municipal council’s resolution on the local plan invalid — for example, due to violations of the planning procedure. This decision cannot be appealed. Only the municipality may file a complaint with the administrative court. If it does not do so, or if the complaint is rejected or dismissed, the mayor, town mayor, or city president must bring the local plan into compliance with the law.

The service is free of charge.

17 PLN – stamp duty for a power of attorney (optional)

If you submit a power of attorney to the office, you must pay the fee. You do not have to pay for a power of attorney granted to your spouse, children, parents, grandparents, grandchildren, or siblings.

Where to pay: the stamp duty for the power of attorney should be paid to the bank account of the city or municipal office competent for the location of the authority to which the power of attorney is submitted. You can find the account number on the website of the relevant city or municipal office. For example, if you submit the power of attorney to the Poznań City Office, the payment should also be made to the account of the Poznań City Office.

The regulations do not specify a deadline for adopting a local plan. It is a long-term procedure — depending on the complexity of the plan and the size of the area covered, the adoption may take from several months to several years.

You cannot appeal against a local plan. However, you may file a complaint with the administrative court, after first requesting the municipal council to eliminate the identified legal violation.

What happens after the local plan enters into force

• other plans or parts of plans concerning the area covered by the new plan lose their validity
• after the plan is adopted by the municipal council, the mayor, town mayor, or city president issues an administrative ruling declaring the expiry of the decision on development conditions or the decision on the location of a public purpose investment for the areas covered by the plan — unless the provisions of those decisions are consistent with the local plan
• the mayor, town mayor, or city president initiates the consolidation and division of properties — if required by the provisions of the plan

Where to find local plans

• websites of city or municipal offices — including the Public Information Bulletin (BIP) pages of the municipalities concerned
• spatial information systems
• at the city or municipal office — in departments responsible for spatial planning, and also (as resolutions) in units servicing the municipal council
• at the county office or city office with county rights — in departments issuing building permits, as municipalities are required to forward adopted plans to county authorities
• in voivodeship official journals covering the territory of the city or municipality concerned (for several years now, official journals have also been available online)

You may also submit an application for an excerpt and extract from the local spatial development plan.

Planning fee (renta planistyczna)

If the value of your property increases following the adoption or amendment of the local plan, the mayor, town mayor, or city president will charge you a fee upon its sale. This is called a planning fee or planning rent. Its amount depends on the increase in the value of your property. The fee cannot exceed 30% of the increase in value (the applicable rate is set by the municipal council in the plan). You will pay it if you sell the property within 5 years from the date the plan enters into force.

The notary will inform the mayor, town mayor, or city president of the sale — within 7 days of signing the notarial deed, they will send an excerpt of its content. The mayor, town mayor, or city president will notify you of the initiation of proceedings to determine the fee and later send you a decision setting the amount. The fee is paid as a one-time payment. The value of the property is determined as of the date of sale. Disputes regarding the fee are resolved by the courts.

You will not pay the planning fee if you transfer the property free of charge to a successor as part of an agricultural holding. If your successor sells the property within 5 years from the date the plan enters into force, they will be required to pay the planning fee.

Before selling the property, you may request the mayor, town mayor, or city president to issue a decision on the amount of the planning fee — however, after the sale, the fee should be recalculated based on the value of the property on the date of sale.

Compensation

• pay compensation
• purchase the property or part of it

The municipality may offer you another property in exchange. After signing a property exchange agreement, you will lose the right to further claims.

If you did not exercise your right to compensation, purchase, or exchange, you may request compensation upon selling the property. The amount may equal the reduction in the value of the plot following the adoption of the plan. You may submit such a claim within 5 years from the date the local plan enters into force. The value of the property is determined as of the date of sale.

Note: Rights and obligations related to the planning fee and compensation apply to owners and perpetual users of the property covered by the plan. If the resolution on the local plan is declared invalid, the planning fee will be refunded to you, or you will be required to return the compensation.

Local plans for restricted areas

Local plans are not prepared for restricted areas — except for those designated by the minister responsible for transport, e.g. near railway lines.

A restricted area is a zone designated due to national defense and security.

Location of wind farms

In the case of construction or reconstruction of wind farms, their distance from residential buildings or buildings with mixed functions must be equal to or greater than ten times the total height of the wind turbine. The local spatial development plan may specify a different distance (expressed in meters), but not less than 700 meters.

General plan instead of the study

From 1 July 2026, the spatial development study will be replaced by a general plan, which will be a local law act. Its provisions will form the basis for adopting local plans and issuing development conditions decisions. The plan will define planning zones and municipal urban standards. It may also designate areas for infill development and central urban infill zones. Plans must be prepared by the end of 2025.