Montenegro’s Ministry of Spatial Planning has annulled the construction ban imposed on the first phase of Carine’s €80 million Novi Novi Resort, returning the case to the inspection authority for a new assessment of the project’s compliance with planning requirements.
The ministry accepted an appeal by the Podgorica-based developer, overturning the original inspection decision. It determined that the prohibition lacked sufficiently precise factual and legal grounds to justify stopping construction. The case has been referred back to the urban planning and construction inspection authority, which must reconsider the relevant circumstances and issue a new decision.
Project scope and planning requirements
The Novi Novi development is planned across approximately 72,866 square metres in Kumbor and Đenovići, near the existing Portonovi luxury resort. Its planned facilities include a five-star hotel, apartments, hospitality establishments and supporting tourism infrastructure.
Carine has estimated the first phase of the investment at approximately €80 million, covering around 20,000 square metres of land.
The inspection proceedings concerned whether the revised project design complied with applicable planning conditions, particularly building heights, permitted land uses and the required distribution between hotel accommodation and apartments.
Under the relevant planning conditions, at least 70% of the designated development area must be allocated to hotel uses, while other permitted tourism facilities may occupy the remaining share.
Carine contested the inspection findings, maintaining that the revised project documentation complied with the applicable planning framework. The developer also disputed the authority’s interpretation of building heights and cadastral restrictions.
New inspection proceedings required
The ministry identified procedural deficiencies in the original prohibition, finding that it had not sufficiently specified the affected cadastral plots, the alleged violations of planning conditions or the documentation considered inadequate.
The construction ban was therefore annulled on procedural grounds. The ruling does not constitute final confirmation that Novi Novi meets all applicable planning requirements. The inspection authority is required to reassess the facts and issue a properly substantiated decision. The ministry’s ruling also does not establish whether any other restrictions on the development remain in force.
Carine had previously presented a phased construction schedule extending to 2031. The administrative proceedings have introduced uncertainty over the implementation of that timetable. The €80 million figure represents the proposed investment value of the development and does not establish that the expenditure has been completed or that construction has received unrestricted approval.
