Judgment No. 50500 of 2023: Analysis of the Boundary between Construction and Landscape Offenses

The judgment No. 50500 of November 23, 2023, by the Court of Cassation offers an important interpretation regarding construction and landscape offenses, clarifying the conditions under which a construction intervention, carried out without the opinion of the competent authority, can be qualified. In particular, the Court ruled on the execution of works in areas subject to hydrogeological constraints, establishing that the lack of the necessary opinion does not automatically constitute a landscape offense but rather a construction offense.

The Context of the Judgment

The defendant, G. V., was accused of having carried out works in an area with hydrogeological constraints without the necessary opinion. However, the Court rejected the charge of landscape offense pursuant to Article 181 of Legislative Decree No. 42/2004, highlighting that the absence of a legitimate opinion invalidates the administrative procedure and renders the enabling title unlawful.

Execution of works in an area subject to hydrogeological constraints carried out based on an enabling title lacking the opinion of the authority responsible for the protection of the constraint - Landscape offense - Configurability - Exclusion - Construction offense - Existence - Reasons. The execution, based on an enabling title lacking the expressed opinion from the authority responsible for the protection of the hydrogeological constraint, of construction interventions in an area subject to such a constraint does not integrate the landscape offense referred to in Article 181, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree No. 22 of January 2004, No. 42, but the construction offense provided for by Article 44 of Presidential Decree No. 6 of June 2001, No. 380, as the absence of the aforementioned opinion invalidates the administrative procedure and renders the issued authorization title unlawful.

The Implications of the Judgment

This decision has significant implications for all those operating in the construction sector, particularly for professionals and construction entrepreneurs. The main consequences can be summarized as follows:

  • Clarity on the distinction between construction and landscape offenses.
  • Increased attention to the need to obtain all necessary opinions before executing works in constrained areas.
  • Potentially more favorable legal consequences for transgressors of works that do not comply with landscape constraints, as they may only be prosecuted for construction offenses.

The Court referred to previous case law, highlighting how the lack of the authority's opinion affects the legitimacy of the issued construction title.

Conclusions

In conclusion, judgment No. 50500 of 2023 represents an important reference point for the construction sector in Italy, clarifying the distinctions between various types of offenses. It is essential that industry operators understand the importance of obtaining the necessary opinions to avoid sanctions, even though, as highlighted by the Court, the legal consequences may not always be as severe as in the past. This ruling thus invites a more in-depth analysis of construction practices to ensure compliance with current regulations.

Bianucci Law Firm