Construction of a swimming pool on agricultural land.
- Bernardo Callai
- 1 day ago
- 2 min read
A house built on agricultural land is increasingly sought after by buyers who want to live close to nature and enjoy the benefits this type of housing solution offers, particularly the large plot of land and the distance from neighboring homes, which almost always allows for a high level of privacy for the inhabitants.
When prospective buyers instruct me to inspect the legal condition of a house built in an agricultural area, they almost always ask me to verify the feasibility of building a swimming pool in the future, which is often a prerequisite for completing the purchase.
Verification is often far from simple due to the fact that municipalities do not clearly regulate, in the provisions of the Municipal Urban Planning Scheme, the criteria for building a swimming pool on land falling within an agricultural zone.
Depending on the type and size of the pool to be built (in-ground, partially above-ground, or above-ground), the authorization procedures vary, ranging from building permits to free construction. Consequently, there are different checks on urban planning standards, not to mention the possibility that the land falls within a landscape protection area.
In such a scenario, you can easily understand that uncertainty reigns supreme, and it is therefore necessary to delve deeper into the issue by analyzing the Sardinia Region's regulations, including any opinions issued by the Region itself to Sardinian municipalities, national legislation, and even Italian court rulings, always keeping in mind the agricultural nature of the land.
This aspect is fundamental.
Houses built on land designated for agricultural use are intended for the use of the person who operates the agricultural activity and who lives there.
The main conditions that must therefore be met are:
the owner's registered residence is the home to which the pool will belong;
carrying out of agricultural activities on the surrounding land.
Depending on the type of pool to be built, it is essential for a qualified professional to analyze the lot's urban planning parameters. This professional will need to establish a dialogue with municipal technicians and, if the land is subject to landscape protection restrictions, study the best solutions during the design phase to mitigate the pool's impact on the surrounding landscape.
Nor can we rule out the possibility that the municipality will apply some rulings from Italian courts, which on various occasions have even specified specific dimensions for a swimming pool to be considered an accessory to a dwelling.
In conclusion, if you are about to buy a house on agricultural land (or you already own one) and want to be sure whether you can build a swimming pool, my advice is to rely on a competent professional for a feasibility study.
