Cardada is on the verge of being excluded from the building zone

Cardada and Colmanicchio are once again coming under pressure, despite the fact that local planning regulations have already been tightened. The Ticino State Council does not intend to approve large parts of the building zone there, thereby creating a new risk for property owners, development projects and tourism-related uses in the Locarno area.

The political rift has a specific date. Locarno Municipal Council approved the local development plan for Monte Brè and Cardada-Colmanicchio on 8 April 2024, after the ‘Salva Monte Brè’ conservation initiative had fuelled the debate on property speculation in the higher elevations since 2019. The town had already adopted a significantly more restrictive planning framework.

However, the canton is tightening the restrictions even further. In a decision dated 23 September 2026, the State Council signalled that it intends to confirm only the zone for public facilities and public buildings in Cardada-Colmanicchio. This includes, for example, the cable car’s mountain station. The remaining area is to be classified as land outside the building zone. In addition, three plots on Monte Brè are to be removed from the plan.

The local compromise is no longer suffici
The variant adopted by Locarno already represented a step back from previous development scope. It reduced the floor area ratio in the mountain residential zone from 0.4 to 0.3. Furthermore, 75 per cent of the buildable area had to remain free of buildings, with at least half of this designated as green space. For hotels and tourism businesses, a bonus allowing a floor area ratio of up to 0.375 was possible on plots of 1,500 square metres or more, but only subject to a neighbourhood plan.

Spatial planning becomes a strict filter
The conflict therefore no longer revolves solely around individual projects, but around the fundamental viability of the building zone in a sensitive mountain area. The State Council announced this move as part of the approval process for the plan amendment and intends to grant those affected the right to be heard. The municipality, property owners and other individuals or organisations with a legitimate interest may submit comments. The documents are to be available for public inspection from 12 October to 11 November.

A period of uncertainty begins for property owners
The rezoning is not yet legally binding. Nevertheless, the situation for current and future building plans in Cardada and Colmanicchio changes immediately. Anyone who has been counting on residential use, tourist developments or building reserves in these areas must now reckon with the possibility that the cantonal approval decision will fundamentally overturn the municipal compromise.