COST OF PHOTOGRAMMETRIC AND CADASTRAL SURVEYS FOR THE COMPILATION OF THE 
HELLENIC CADASTRE 
Chryssy Potsiou 
Laboratory of Photogrammetry, N.T.U. of Athens, Greece 
Commission VI, Working Group 6 
KEY WORDS: Economy, Land, Estimation, Information, Professional, Cost, Project, Cadastre 
ABSTRACT 
The use for many years of inadequate data for the definition and the transfer of property, like the lack of updated/proper 
topographic plans, the lack of unique specifications for the topographic plans that accompany ownership contracts, the 
lack of guarantee of titles etc, has created a complex situation, making the task of establishing the Hellenic Cadastre 
extremely difficult. Even in comparatively small areas of Greece where a cadastral system has been established since the 
1920’s, many problems have been created due to the old legislative status still in force, the lack of updated cadastral 
maps, the lack of personnel and the use of non-computerised techniques. 
Among the many other parameters which should be determined for the efficient planning of the National Cadastral System 
as a simple and clear system, easily accessible and providing security of tenure, and current and reliable information at 
low cost, is the estimation of the cost of the whole work, both for the establishment and for the maintaining of the 
cadastral system. 
In this paper a brief description of the whole project of the Hellenic Cadastre is given and an analysis of the cost of its 
establishment and maintainance is attempted. Then, an estimation is made of its direct income during operation and a 
rough estimate is given for a cost-recovering perspective. 
1. INTRODUCTION e create about 2,000 new employment positions per year 
of its establishment 
Greece has tried many times to establish a National ee eliminate costly and time-consuming paper-work and 
Cadastral System (N.C.) but unfortunately has not yet bureaucratic procedures 
managed to device and operate a reliable system. Now . » facilitate the detection of fires and illegal building, 
Greece is making a new effort to establish uniform which are matters of vital importance to Greece. 
cadastral system for the entire country. 
The project is considered to be among the most significant 
Until now all the legal rights concerning land (surface, projects executed in Greece in recent years. During 1995, 
subsurface resources, buildings etc), such as land cadastral surveys began in 66 municipalities, which belong 
ownership, lease, mortgage, charge, easement, seizure, to 30 out of the 54 prefectures of the country. They cover 
claiming etc, are registered and available but not an area of 0.22 million hectares, with an outlay of 7 billion 
guaranteed by the approximately 400 Mortgage Bureaux drachmas (about US$ 30 million). They refer to both urban 
which are functioning throughout Greece, some of them and rural areas, areas of special natural beauty and 
since 1856. In parallel, cadastral bureaux were established environmental interest, including wetlands with extensive 
and operate in comparatively small areas of Greece: flora and fauna. For the time being the project is financed 
e the Island of Rhodes in Southern Greece (area of partially by the E.U. (75%) and partially through 
140,000 hectares) governmental funding (25%). The total of the available 
e the Islands of Kos and Leros also in Southern Greece funds for the next 5 years for the compilation of the N.C. 
(area of 30,000 hectares) project is US$ 200 million, which is equivalent to 50 billion 
e a district of two counties in the vicinity of Athens (area  drachmas. However, the future strategy is to achieve 
of 1,200 hectares). financing more directly from the users, by selling titles, 
from transaction duties and from the purchase of digital 
In July 1994 the Ministry of the Environment, Physical data by the private and public sectors. 
Planning and Public Works of Greece and the European 
Union (E.U.) ratified a proposal for the establishment of the In the following, an attempt to estimate the total cost both 
Hellenic Cadastre. The proposal was prepared by the for compilation and for maintance is made and an estimate 
Hellenic Mapping and Cadastral Organization (HEMCO) in of cost-recoverability is given, not taking into account the 
collaboration with the Technical Chamber of Greece and forementioned available funds already existing. 
the National Union of Surveyors. According to this 
proposal, the N.C. is designed to be a modern Land 
Information System which will improve the efficiency of 2. COST ANALYSIS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT 
land transactions and guarantee land tenure. In addition, it OF THE HELLENIC CADASTRE 
Will provide all levels of information to both the private and 
the public sector, necessary for land development, urban 2.1 General Considerations 
and rural planning, agricultural policy, land management 
and environmental monitoring. Some of its main features According to the technical specifications drawn up by 
are, that it will HEMCO the compilation of cadastral maps of urban and 
* secure publicly owned land, which is estimated at a suburban areas will be based on topographic maps on a 
minimum value of a trillion drachmas (about US$ 4 scale of 1:1.000, which can be (alternatively): 
billion) a. photogrammetric maps in digital form 
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International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B6. Vienna 1996