Determining the boundaries of a land plot in the vertical plane

Habdas Magdalenam

Published:

DOI: https://doi.org/10.69724/2786-8834-2024-1-1-109-125

Keywords: horizontal and vertical boundaries, land plot, object, property rights, minerals, water, drone

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Обкладинка. 1-й випуск

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the boundaries of a land plot in the horizontal and vertical planes as an object of property rights under Polish law.
While the horizontal boundaries have a precise demarcation on the surface of the land, in the second case the author establishes that both the Polish legislator and the Polish court practice do not apply any approximate values of height in the aboveground space and depth in the underground space, where the land ownership ends.

The author demonstrates that the determination of the upper and lower limits of land ownership under Polish law is based on an objective criterion, namely, the socio-economic purpose of land, with respect to each specific land plot on the basis of an individual approach. This determination takes into account the past, present and probable future use of the respective land plot, taking into account its urban, agricultural or industrial character, its designation in the development plans of the territory, as well as the economic concept of the best and most efficient use. The Polish legislator has regulated in more detail only the ownership of minerals and water, probably wishing to avoid complicated disputes over the ownership of these important environmental elements.

The boundaries of land plots, viewed in terms of their coverage of the space above and below the land surface, are important in the context of intensive land use. The delimitation of three-dimensional land property boundaries should always be aimed at adequate protection of the landowner and reflect the more general needs and interests of society in the use of the space above and below the land surface.

References

Legislation

  1. Act of the Republic of Poland of 23 April 1964, consolidated version: Journalof Statutes 2023, items 1610 and 1615. [date of access 10.10.2023].
  2. The act of the Republic of Poland of 17 May 1989 – Geodesic and cartographic law, and the ordinance of the Minister of Regional Development and Constructionof 29 March 2001 on the land and building register. [date of access 11.10.2023].
  3. Act of the Republic of Poland of 21 March 1985 on public roads. [dateof access 01.10.2023].
  4. Act of the Republic of Poland of 20 May 1971. [date of access 03.10.2023].

    Case law

    1. Judgment of the Provincial Administrative Court in Bydgoszcz of 23 October 2007,II SA/Bd 527/07, LEX no. 413535.
    2. Judgment of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland of 3 December 2003,ICK 345/03, LEX no. 151628.
    3. Judgment of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland of 3 November 2004,III CK 52/04, LEX No. 1124087.
    4. Judgment of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland of 6 January 2005 III,CK 129/04, LEX no. 150787.
    5. Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 15 October 2009, II OSK 1581/08,LEX no. 573581.
    6. Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of 10 February 2009, II GSK 780/08,LEX no. 898193.
    7. Judgment of the Provincial Administrative Court in Gdańsk of 21 June 2007, IIISA/Gd 121/07, LEX no. 974992.
    8. Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court in Warsaw of 28 May 2008,II GSK 137/08, LEX no. 466971.
    9. Judgment of the Provincial Administrative Court in Szczecin of 27 June 2013,II SA/Sz 279/13, LEX no. 1340491.
    10. Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Republic of Poland of 4February 2014, II GSK 1803/12, LEX no. 1450689.
    11. Judgment of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland of 4 March 1931, IIIRw 2350/30, LEX no. 1669939.
    12. See judgment of the Court of Appeal in Warsaw of 17 August 2016, VI ACa 839/15,LEX no. 2149600.
    13. Judgment of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland of 7 December 2022,II KK 202/22, LEX no. 3557064.
    14. Judgment of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Poland of 9 January 2015,V CSK 200/14, LEX no. 1652405.
    15. Judgment of the Supreme Administrative Court of the Republic of Poland of 16January 2009, II OSK 1874/07, Lex no. 515978.

    Bibliography Authored books

    1. W. Szydło [in:] E. Gniewek and P. Machnikowski (eds), Civil Code. Commentary,Warsaw 2014, p. 313.
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      7. Cf. H. Schwarz, Prawo geologiczne i gуrnicze. Komentarz. Tom I, Wrocław 2012, p. 116.
      8. R. Mikosz, ’Prawa do wуd’ [in:] E. Gniewek (ed.), System Prawa Prywatnego. Prawo rzeczowe. Vol. 3(Warszawa 2013) pp. 489–490.
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      Journal articles

      1. Cf. T. Dybowski, ’Zasady wspуłżycia społecznego i społeczno – gospodarczeprzeznaczenie prawa a prawo własności’, Nowe Prawo, 1967, no. 6, p. 733.
      2. M. Moj, ’Dron: statek czy model latający’, Rzeczpospolita. Dodatek-PrawoCo Dnia, 2015/7/24.

      Conference papers
      36. Kalus S., Prawne aspekty określenia pionowych granic nieruchomości [w:]

      Gospodarowanie przestrzenią «nad» i «pod» gruntem. XX Krajowa Konferencja Rzeczoznawcуw Majątkowych, (Katowice 2011) 38.

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