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4Homes
Guide to Building in Tuscany
tom
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Stick to the Rules

It is picturesque dilapidated old wrecks that Tuscany has in abundance. There’s so many firstly because the area is steeped in history, but secondly because of its ultra-stringent building regulations.


Ravina is the romantic Italian name for a ruined farmhouse. The one pictured is up for sale at a cool half a million pounds, but there’s tons of work to do and only a very narrow window for creativity in doing it. There’s no roof, no ceiling, and a forest in the living room! Of course, it oozes charm and has the remnants of its forgotten grandeur. Set in totally peaceful surroundings, one word springs to mind. It’s an old estate agent’s word. Potential.
ravina

This is a problematic notion for the Italian authorities, however. If this place was in the UK it would have endless potential. Over in Italy the regulations are far tougher, and severely limit renovation options.

Planning laws basically dictate that a ravina or other ruined rural building has to be restored to the state that it was in before it fell into disrepair. If modernisation and contemporary design is on your mind, you'd better not invest here. Even adding new windows, building a small and discreet extension or an out-of-sight swimming pool are off the cards apart from in the most exceptional of circumstances.


Check out our one example of modern architecture in rural Italy >>

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Italy Italian Guide
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