ATHENS, Greece - Greek property owners seeking to bypass construction bans thought they had found a godsend: a loophole allowing them to build whatever they wanted - as long as they also built a small church on the site.
But lawmakers have launched a crusade of their own to regulate abuses, reports said Tuesday.
Parliament added size restrictions to a presidential decree allowing ``support areas'' alongside churches, which are not covered by laws governing home construction.
Under the previous rules, there was no limit to the size or type of support structure. Owners could use the church as a guise to build villas on land not zoned for residential use.
The loophole has been especially popular on islands where sailors have a strong sense of religious tradition. On the island of Tinos, for example, a 3,600-square-foot villa was built as a ``support'' area, newspapers said.
Limits now restrict the support areas and church to a 180-square-foot plot. The structures also have been limited to 36 square feet and 11 1/2 feet high.
AP-NY-08-21-01 0946EDT
Copyright 2001 The Associated Press.