Legal Loopholes and Investment Pressure in the Development of Individual Recreational Buildings in Protected Landscapes

This study investigates the legal and planning risks related to the implementation of individual recreational buildings in environmentally valuable areas, with particular emphasis on the municipality of Bukowina Tatrzańska in southern Poland. This research highlights the consequences of a legal loophole that allows construction in protected landscapes based solely on a notification procedure, often excluding municipal authorities from the decision-making process. This analysis combines field inventory, planning document review, and interviews with local officials to assess the scale and nature of development in areas lacking valid local development plans. The findings reveal increasing investor pressure and the misuse of individual recreational buildings for commercial purposes, leading to spatial and landscape degradation. Despite formal compliance with certain legal provisions, construction often takes place in areas of high natural and scenic value, undermining spatial order. This study recommends strengthening local planning instruments, revising construction laws, and enhancing investment control to ensure sustainable land use and landscape protection.