In order to contribute to the balanced development of Gorski Kotar, and based on the recognised features of the typology of settlements, the Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County began the production of a study titled the Spatial Identities of Rural Settlements of Gorski Kotar.
The initiative to consider how to prevent negative impacts on the visual identity of the settlements of Gorski Kotar came from the Gorski Kotar Tourist Board.
Although the area of Gorski Kotar is perceived as a whole, the diversity of the spatial identity of suburban and rural settlements is an important segment of the overall identity of the region. In the region of Gorski Kotar there are different types of settlements that are developing under various influences and in various ways. The majority of spatial plans do not have special construction conditions for different types of settlements depending on their typology and recognised values, but general provisions for construction are applied in all construction areas of the settlements.
The aim of the Study is to identify and evaluate the preservation of the spatial identity of the settlements of the Gorski Kotar region and to produce guidelines for the preservation and revitalisation of individual areas and structures. “The Study plans to identify different types and typologies of construction within selected settlements of Gorski Kotar and aims to raise the awareness of the local population about the identity of the settlement,” said the director of the Institute Adam Butigan.
“The destination is ripe for further expansion and a clever, planned approach to the typology of construction, which aims to set standards in order that we preserve the natural resources for future generations. With this we will provide a basis for further expansion, which is inevitable because as a year-round destination we have become extremely attractive for investment,” said Petar Hrg, director of the Gorski Kotar Tourist Board.
After the presentation about the goals and manner of the production of the Study, a round table was held with the heads and mayors and other representatives of municipalities and towns in the Gorski Kotar region. The discussion that followed supported the production of the Study, and expressed the readiness of municipalities and towns to implement the results of the Study, the guidelines for improving the spatial standard within certain types of settlements, in the spatial planning documents of their municipalities and towns.