Building a holiday cabin on agricultural land

Budowa domku letniskowego na działce rolnej
May 4, 2023
Drewnolandia
Blog

Do you own agricultural land or plan to buy one and would like to place a holiday cabin on it? The procedures for building it are much less complicated than those for a residential house. Once all the specified conditions are met, a holiday cabin on an agricultural plot is absolutely feasible.

What is an agricultural plot and who can buy it?

Agricultural land refers to areas categorized in the land registry as agricultural use. A residential building on an agricultural plot can be erected by a farmer when a residential building and farm buildings are built together, forming the so-called farmstead.

A person who is not a farmer may buy agricultural land if its area is smaller than 0.3 ha. Also, any person may purchase land up to 1 ha. If, however, you are not involved in farming and plan to buy an agricultural plot larger than one hectare, obtaining the land will be possible only after obtaining consent from KOWR. The soil class is also important. A holiday cabin can therefore be built only on lower-class soils (IV, V, VI). The higher classes (I, II, III) allow the construction of a farm building or a tool shed.

How does the construction of a holiday cabin on agricultural land align with the spatial development plan?

The planned building and location must comply with specific regulations. First of all, you should consider the Local Spatial Development Plan, which must permit recreational development. If the land is covered by a plan but recreational development is not allowed, to continue building a holiday cabin you will need to submit a request to change the land’s designation from agricultural to recreational land.

If there is no plan developed for the agricultural plot, it will be necessary to obtain a decision on the conditions of development and land use.

Can you build a holiday cabin up to 35 m² on an agricultural plot?

Until now, without a permit, it was possible to build a holiday cabin with a maximum area of 35 m². Since 3 January 2022, i.e., after amendments to the building law and the Spatial Planning and Development Act, building a holiday cabin based on a notification is possible up to 70 m².

Can you place a holiday cabin on agricultural land without a permit?

In accordance with building law regulations holiday cabins are classified as a single-family recreational building, therefore the formalities surrounding the construction of a cabin are greatly shortened. In addition to the previously mentioned size, the exemption from obtaining a permit is possible in the following cases:

  • a maximum of one building per every 500 m² of land,
  • a standalone building on the ground floor (an attic and an unused attic do not count as a floor).



What does building a holiday cabin look like in 2022?

Although holiday cabins do not require a building permit up to 70 m², on agricultural land a holiday cabin requires prior notification of the investment to the architectural and building authority.

To build a holiday cabin on an agricultural plot, you must first fill out a form in which you should indicate the type, scope, method of execution, and start date of construction works. The form must also include a declaration of the right to dispose of the property for construction purposes. There may also be a need to present a decision on conditions of development and land use or a sketch and drawing of the object.