Italian municipalities face court rulings over land‑use limits and demolition orders

The municipality of Guardiaregia in Molise has filed an appeal to the Council of State after the Lazio Regional Administrative Court rejected its challenge to the new perimeter of the Parco del Matese. The town argues that the park’s stricter boundaries could harm local economic activities such as livestock farming, quarrying and a cement plant, and seeks a better balance between environmental protection and community development.

In Campania, the Regional Administrative Court upheld a demolition order issued by the Comune of Casamicciola Terme against an illegal 4.8 m² masonry structure used as two shower rooms within the “Parco Mare Verde” complex. The court dismissed the owner’s claims that the works were covered by a pending building‑permit regularisation, that a specific public‑interest justification was required, and that procedural notifications were missing, reaffirming that demolition is obligatory when constructions are built without proper authorization.

Both rulings illustrate the Italian judiciary’s firm stance on enforcing land‑use and building regulations, even when local authorities contend that such measures may affect economic interests or long‑standing structures.