On July 1, 2026, certain provisions of the Act of April 30, 2026, amending the Act on Spatial Planning and Development and certain other acts (the “Act”) entered into force. The provisions of the Act provide, among other things, for a 2-month extension of the deadline for the entry into force of general plans – from June 30 to August 31 of this year.
This deadline is of significant importance to municipalities in the context of reimbursement for the high costs of preparing general plans. In order to be eligible for reimbursement under the National Reconstruction Plan (KPO), at least 40% of municipalities must adopt general plans by August 31. If this threshold is met, municipalities will be able to apply for funding in an amount calculated according to the established algorithm.
Progress in Planning Efforts in Municipalities
As of mid-July 2026, around 15% of municipalities in Poland had adopted general plans. Meanwhile, 1,337 municipalities – or 54% of all municipalities in Poland – are in the process of drafting general plans. As of July 20, 2026, adopted and pending general plans cover nearly 70% of the country’s territory.
Consequences of Missing the Deadline for Investors
In addition to the consequences for municipalities, information on the status of work on general plans in light of the approaching deadline is also crucial for investors. The absence of a general plan as of September 1 will have the following consequences:
1.Inability to obtain a new decision on development conditions
A municipality that fails to adopt a general plan will not initiate the procedure for issuing any new development permit. For areas not covered by local zoning plans, this means a complete freeze on the investment process – without a decision on development conditions, it will not be possible to obtain a building permit.
In practice, projects at the conceptual stage may be stalled until a general plan is adopted.
2.Not adopting new local zoning plans
The absence of a general plan also blocks the processing and adoption of new local zoning plans. After September 1, newly drafted local zoning plans will have to comply with general plans – if they are not adopted, it will therefore be impossible to initiate the local zoning plan procedure. For investors planning to engage in dialogue with the municipality during the drafting of a local zoning plan, this means that such an option is temporarily unavailable.
3.Blockage of Integrated Investment Plans (ZPI)
As in the point above – since an integrated investment plan is a specific type of local plan – the absence of a general plan means that it is not possible to proceed with ZPI.
The municipality will have no basis for initiating negotiations, entering into an urban planning agreement with the investor, or adopting a resolution regarding the ZPI. For investors planning residential developments or commercial projects, this means being cut off from the most flexible tool of planning reform, upon which the feasibility of a project can be based.
4.The end of the Study of Conditions and Directions of Spatial Development as an instrument of long-term spatial policy
With the expiration of the study of conditions, a document will disappear that has until now allowed investors to assess the long-term directions of an area’s development, including plans concerning industrial zones, green spaces, and landscape protection. In practice, this may create difficulties in the due diligence processes for real estate projects. In particular, it will be more difficult to assess whether a given area will remain attractive for investment in the long term.
End of the Special Housing Act
An important development for housing projects is the expiration of the Act of July 5, 2018, on Facilitating the Preparation and Implementation of Housing Projects and Related Projects (the “Special Housing Act”). As of September 1 of this year, it will no longer be possible to file an application to determine the location of a housing project under the procedure provided for by the Special Housing Act. Proceedings concerning applications filed before that date will continue and be concluded in accordance with the existing regulations. Furthermore, the current versions of municipal studies on conditions and directions of spatial development apply to these projects.
Consequences of the Lack of General Plans in Municipalities
The absence of a general plan after August 31 of this year will prove to be severe not only for municipalities but also for investors. Changes in spatial planning are dynamic, which means that planning an investment process requires constant monitoring of the legal situation, both at the national and local levels. With less than 1.5 months remaining before the deadline for adopting the general plan, investors should, in particular:
- Monitor the status of work on the general plan in the municipality;
- Submit motions to the draft general plan at the appropriate stage of the procedure;
- Submit applications for zoning permits and initiate procedures based on the studies of conditions and directions of spatial development;
- Conduct a thorough due diligence review of the general plan drafts and the local plans currently in effect within the municipality – these will remain in effect after the study expires.