Property Description

Sea-View Land for Development with Planning Permission Guaranteed

Situated just outside the picturesque hilltop village of Pollina in the Madonie Natural Park, the Bellavista plot is 7300 m2 of undulating meadowland with views that are as superb as its name suggests. If we had to sum this property up in a simple phrase, we couldn’t do better than ‘unspoilt Sicilian beauty’.

Currently home to the remains of a shepherd’s cottage, planning permission has already been granted to build a house with a footprint of 80 m2 + terrace and patio.

Planning Permission

Have you ever fantasised about building your perfect house in an idyllic Mediterranean valley? Of course, this is a dream for thousands of people who long for an escape (whether seasonal or year-round) from the rat-races of Northern Europe or America, but one of the biggest deterrents is the notoriously thorny process of finding an architect and clearing the many hurdles of planning permission. If you build a house in Sicily it’s not uncommon to wait over a year to receive your ‘permesso di costruire’ (planning permission), and that’s before we consider the fees of at least €10,000 for an architect – all of which is in the hope that consent will be given!

Understandably deterred by these challenges, many of our clients choose instead to buy an existing property and make compromises with regards to architecture, condition and finishing. Bellavista offers an incredible opportunity to land the best of both worlds.

The permesso has already been granted, and it can’t be revoked. If you bought the property today you could start work tomorrow! The 80m2 design shown below is guaranteed, and what’s more, subsequent changes to the law mean that if you applied for the same permit today you could only build a 45m2 house! The value is locked-in and not to be missed.

But does that mean you’re tied into someone else’s designs? Amazingly, no! If you want to make cosmetic or internal changes – the division of the spaces, the materials used, there will be no extra expense. If you wanted to change the shape of the property this would require approval, but it’s hard to stress enough just how much easier it is to modify a proposal than it is to obtain planning permission in the first place. And that permission is set in stone.

While we’re talking about materials, of course, salvage materials from the old cottage would make a characterful addition to any design for your new house.

If you have any questions or doubts about the process, one of our friendly and multilingual team will be delighted to put your mind at ease.

Terrain

Around 400m above sea level and less than 2km as the crow flies from the coast, Bellavista is immersed in tropical greenery. This is an ample, varied plot about halfway up a valley with superb hillside panoramas. It starts near the access road with a large expanse of foliage and small trees – here we find the small cottage. It then climbs towards a rocky outcrop in the south, where you have the best views down the valley and to the sparkling Tyrrhenian Sea: this is undoubtedly where you would want to build your house. At the far south of the estate is a thicket of woodland; home to some of the wild boar indigenous to the Madonie.

The Natural Park is also home to a remarkable range of flora, and the plot contains a mix of ash and citrus trees, alongside rarer specimens bearing almonds and chestnuts. The woodland bears forest fruits, and there is a colourful display of wildflowers and cactii everywhere you look.

The soil in this part of Sicily is legendarily fertile, and you would be able to cultivate a small olive grove, more fruit trees or a little herb garden with spectacular results. A pair of wells offer a limitless supply of mountain-fresh water to keep the land irrigated.

This plot has been untouched for many years and will need a lot of landscaping, but once it has been partially reclaimed from nature it will be a beautiful space in which to build.

A narrow, unpaved access road is already in place – we won’t say this is the ideal spot to bring your low-riding Ferrari, but any normal vehicle will have no problems navigating the route.

Surroundings

Pollina is a small but lively community with a population of about 3,000. Amongst these are several happy former clients, now firm friends of Property In Sicily, who speak a wide range of languages and will be delighted to welcome you to their new home. Not that the locals, with their legendary Sicilian hospitality, will be backwards about coming forwards either! As the locals say, you don’t just build a house in Sicily, you build a whole new life!

There are a range of small shops for daily life, and in the summer months there is a regular programme at one of the most spectacular open-air amphitheatres you’ll find this side of Ancient Greece!

A little further afield you will find gorgeous coastline and practicalities like supermarkets in the small towns of Finale and Sant’Ambrogio. 10km to the west is Cefalù, the famous beach resort and UNESCO World Heritage Site. International airports in the island’s effervescent capital Palermo and second city Catania are each within 100km, with Palermo’s Falcone-Borsellino the quicker drive at around 90 minutes.

The majesty of Mount Etna, the drama of the volcanic Aeolian Islands and the ancient wonders of Agrigento are all within an easy day trip.

Potential

While a couple or small family seeking a solitary life could live here all year-round, we believe that Bellavista is heaven-sent for a holiday home. An above-ground pool would require no extra planning permission, and the topography means that the only sounds to be heard come from crickets and birds. Relaxation itself!

The beautiful scenery and proximity to Cefalù mean that you would never struggle to find holidaymakers to take on the property in your absence. Our decades of experience in the tourist industry and thriving vacation lettings arm means that in Property In Sicily you’ll find the perfect partners to manage this for you if you need.

The property is already connected to the power grid, drainage and the municipal water supply, in addition to the wells mentioned above. None of these are to be taken for granted when you build a house in Sicily!

To help you unlock the incredible potential of this beautiful and favourably-priced plot, we would be delighted to put you in touch with our network of trusted and certified architects, designers and planners. Drop us a line or give us a call today and start your Sicilian adventure!