04.08.2026 09:20
The land restriction for bungalow, hobby garden, or vineyard house style structures to be built on agricultural land has been reduced from 5 hectares to 2 hectares. The new regulation also clarified under which provisions previously submitted applications will be evaluated.
A new step has been taken to resolve the long-standing uncertainty regarding vineyard houses, hobby gardens, and bungalow-style structures on agricultural lands. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has amended the Regulation on the Protection and Use of Agricultural Lands."}
DECISION PUBLISHED IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE
With the regulation amendment published in the Official Gazette, an important arrangement has been made regarding vineyard houses and bungalow-style structures to be built on agricultural lands. The lower limit for lands where such structures can be built has been reduced from 5 hectares to 2 hectares. The new regulation also clarified which provisions will apply to previously submitted applications.
According to the new amendment, the phrase \"5 hectares\" in the section titled \"Criteria for Agricultural Purpose Structures\" of the regulation has been changed to \"2 hectares\". Thus, the land size required for constructing vineyard house-type structures has been reduced from approximately 50 decares to 20 decares.
The new regulation was addressed in the regulation with the following statements:
\"The phrase '5 hectares' in item 6.1 of Annex-1 titled 'Criteria for Agricultural Purpose Structures' of the same Regulation has been changed to '2 hectares'.\"
It is stated that the new decision is particularly relevant to landowners who want to build vineyard houses, agricultural storage facilities, or similar structures on agricultural lands.
BUNGALOW-STYLE STRUCTURES BACK ON THE AGENDA
Recently, the legal status of bungalow, hobby garden, and vineyard house-style structures built on agricultural lands has been a subject of debate. In some regions, the demolition of these structures has been discussed on the grounds that they were built without permission or used for non-agricultural purposes.
While the regulation amendment lowers the limit on the size of lands where agricultural-purpose structures can be built, it does not mean that every bungalow structure will automatically become legal.
Criteria such as the structures serving an agricultural purpose, obtaining permission from relevant institutions, and complying with zoning and construction conditions will continue to apply. Meeting the land size requirement alone will not constitute permission for construction.
WHAT IS THE NEW CRITERION FOR VINEYARD HOUSES?
In the regulation that came into effect on April 4, 2026, it was stipulated that vineyard houses could be built on private product and marginal agricultural lands of a certain size.
While the previous regulation required a land size of 5 hectares, it was stated that a structure with a floor area of 30 square meters could be allowed to be built.
With the latest amendment, the 5-hectare land requirement has been reduced to 2 hectares. However, other provisions regarding the floor area of the structures, purpose of use, permit process, and technical conditions will continue to apply.
Therefore, landowners will need to obtain the necessary permits from provincial directorates of agriculture and forestry, municipalities, and other relevant public institutions before constructing any structure.
HOW WILL PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS BE EVALUATED?
One of the most important articles of the regulation amendment concerns previously submitted applications.
According to the new regulation, applications for agricultural-purpose structures and non-agricultural use made to Ministry units before the regulation came into effect will be evaluated under the provisions of the previous regulation.
The regulation includes the following provision on the subject:
\"Applications for agricultural-purpose structures and non-agricultural use made to Ministry units before the date this Regulation enters into force will be evaluated under the provisions of the Regulation on the Protection, Use, and Planning of Agricultural Lands, which was repealed by Article 24.\"
Accordingly, only applications officially made before the new regulation will be considered under the previous regulation. Structures that have no application or were built without permission will not automatically benefit from the previous regulation.
WHEN WILL THE REGULATION BECOME VALID?
The regulation amendment came into effect as of April 4, 2026.
Applications submitted to Ministry units before this date will be concluded according to the previous provisions. The 2-hectare land size requirement will be considered for new applications.
Following the regulation, citizens who wish to build vineyard houses or agricultural-purpose structures on agricultural lands will need to make their applications according to the current regulation provisions.
PERMITS WILL NOT BE ISSUED FOR EVERY BUNGALOW
Lowering the land limit does not mean that bungalows or vineyard houses can be built anywhere on agricultural lands.
The structure being linked to agricultural activity, preserving the nature of the land, and not using the soil for non-agricultural purposes are among the fundamental conditions.
Different permit and licensing processes may apply between bungalows used for touristic accommodation and vineyard houses built within the scope of agricultural activity. Additional permits may be required from municipalities, special provincial administrations, tourism units, and other relevant institutions for structures used as commercial enterprises.
It is important for landowners to learn about the agricultural nature of the land, its zoning status, and construction conditions from relevant institutions before starting any construction activity.
DIRECTLY RELEVANT TO LANDOWNERS
The new regulation is expected to affect the application process for citizens engaged in agriculture in rural areas and wishing to build vineyard houses on their land.
By reducing the land size requirement from 5 hectares to 2 hectares, citizens with smaller lands now have the opportunity to apply for agricultural-purpose structures if they meet the necessary conditions.
However, the final decision will be made based on the land class, the purpose of the structure to be built, the characteristics of the project, and the evaluation of the relevant institutions.