Lexipedia

Planning zone

A temporary freeze or restriction on development used to safeguard ongoing planning and prevent prejudicial building activity.

A planning zone is a provisional planning measure that limits building or land-use changes while authorities prepare or revise binding plans. In Switzerland it is used to prevent developments that would undermine future zoning, infrastructure or protection objectives. The measure must be time-limited, based on a concrete planning intention and proportionate. It does not itself create a final zoning regime, but permits may be refused or suspended if they conflict with the intended planning. Affected owners usually have access to cantonal legal remedies.