Development – Data Center(s)

DATA CENTER DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

Two plots of land that are separated by a stream. The northern plot measures 19,381 sqm, and the southern plot measures 10,689 sqm.

High-voltage electricity lines run along the southern boundary of the northern plot.

Both plots are suitable for the development of data centers, benefiting from:
a) the high-voltage line passing through the property, and
b) favorable building coefficients for data centers.

Additionally, the land is located outside the urban planning area, which makes it more affordable to purchase, although it is very close to the center of the Anixi community. The south plot is adjacent to Marathonos Avenue that connects Agios Stefanos and Anixi with Drosia,  Ekali, Kifissia and the Athens city center further south.

The floor area ratio (building coefficient) is 0.8, and the maximum coverage is 0.6. This means that on the northern plot, a data center of approximately 15,500 sqm can be built, while on the southern plot, the data center can reach up to 8,500 sqm. Combined, two Data Center buildings of up to 24,000 sqm are feasible.

Regulations for Data Centers in Greece

Legislative Framework
Greece has a comprehensive and specialized legislative framework for data centers, established by Law 5069/2023 (Government Gazette 193/A/28-11-2023) and Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) 96038/2024, which define the building conditions, permitted land uses, as well as the urban planning and spatial regulations for their development and operation.

Key Points of the Framework

• Definition and Categories: For the first time, the activity of data centers is officially defined in legislation, their categories are distinguished, and the requirements for each type of facility are set.
• Building and Construction Conditions: Data centers are subject to special building conditions, with provisions for increased electrical power needs, cooling systems, fire protection, and security. Specific regulations apply to building height, floor area ratio, and distances from neighboring properties to meet their operational and technical requirements.
• Permitted Land Uses: The zones where data centers can be established are clearly defined, including industrial areas, technology parks, business activity zones, and areas designated by special urban plans.
• Licensing and Notification: Data centers serving third parties or having IT equipment power above 200 kW fall under the notification regime of Law 4442/2016. For private data centers with power above 1000 kW, a similar regulation applies. Smaller centers follow general urban planning and environmental provisions.
• Standards and Fire Protection: Compliance with standards on fire protection, energy efficiency, and security is mandatory, according to international best practices and European standards.
• Environmental and Energy Provisions: The use of green energy from renewable sources and connection to fiber optic networks is encouraged to promote sustainable development and reduce environmental impact.

Purpose of the Legislation
The new framework aims to:

• Simplify and accelerate licensing procedures.
• Attract investments in the digital economy sector.
• Establish Greece as an international data hub, leveraging advantages such as geographic location, green energy, and fiber optics.

Data Center Construction in Agricultural Land

According to Law 5069/2023, which regulates the urban planning and spatial provisions for data centers in Greece, the installation and construction of data centers can also take place in out-of-plan areas, such as agricultural plots, under certain conditions.

Specifically:

• Data centers are classified under land use category 21.A of Presidential Decree 59/2018, which includes industrial and manufacturing uses.
• Their installation is permitted in areas where this land use is allowed according to Law 4759/2020, as well as in areas without designated land uses (out-of-plan areas), provided this is not prohibited by other more specific provisions.
• Therefore, on out-of-plan agricultural land, if no other restrictions apply, the construction of a data center is possible, provided the building conditions and technical specifications set by Law 5069/2023 are met.

This means that building a data center on out-of-plan agricultural land is not excluded but requires verification of compliance with the legislative framework, special urban planning regulations, and any environmental constraints of the area.

The area of Anixi in Attica, provided its out-of-plan agricultural land does not fall under special prohibitions or protection categories, can make use of the building conditions provided for data centers under the new legislative framework (Law 5069/2023 and JMD 96038/2024).

The framework allows the construction of data centers also in out-of-plan areas, provided the special building conditions, technical specifications, and notification or licensing procedures are respected. Greece promotes the development of data centers with favorable regulations, strengthening the country as a digital hub, and there are no strict restrictions for out-of-plan agricultural land that do not belong to protected zones or special categories.