The Institute for Physical Planning of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County has prepared the Report about the state of the space for the period from 2017 to 2020, which builds upon the previous Report for the period of 2013 to 2016.
The Report is a comprehensive document that serves as an expert basis in the preparation of development documents of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County. It contains an analysis and assessment of the situation in the space, the analysis of the implementation of spatial plans, and other documents of significance for the space of the County.
The Report assesses the effectiveness of planning measures for the improvement of the spatial planning system, recognising the need to draft new spatial planning documents or change and add to existing spatial plans as well as other county-strategic documents.
At the end the Report provides proposals for improving spatial development with the basic recommendations of measures for the next period.
The first part of the Report, the analysis and assessment of the state of the space includes:
- spatial indicators that show that construction areas occupy only 3.1% of the total area of the County, in other words 6.9% of its land area. They also point out significant differences in the extent of construction in building areas of settlements and separated construction areas outside settlements (79.1% - 36%),
- demographic indicators that show a continuing decline in the number of residents and the significant spatial polarisation between the coast area and islands where the population is stagnant or growing compared to the City of Rijeka and Gorski Kotar where the population is still declining,
- economic indicators that confirm the status of the County as an economically developed part of the State, however, the index of the development of towns and municipalities still indicates large differences between the local self-government units,
- the level of facilities of settlements with social infrastructure shows the continuous investments of municipalities, towns and the County in the construction of children’s nurseries, schools, school halls, health centres and sports facilities in the County,
- the level of the facilities of the spaces with infrastructure where there is a visible increase in the implementation of projects in the field of communal, port, road and railway infrastructure compared to the previous period,
- the increased influence of climate change in the space,
- the appearance of corona virus, which caused a global pandemic and affected the implementation of development activities in the observed period.
The second part of the Report provides an overview:
- of the adopted spatial plans and plans being drafted - 138 adopted spatial and urban plans, including the 1st changes and additions to the County’s spatial plan. At the end of 2020, there were 415 spatial plans in force, whilst 100 plans were in the process of being drafted,
- the implementation of plans where a significant increase in issued building permits from 1,893 in the previous reporting period (2013-2016) to 4,273 (2017-2020) was noted.
Based on the conducted analyses, identified needs, possibilities and limitations of further development of the County, in the last chapter of the Report proposals for the improvement of spatial development are highlighted.
A total of 26 measures and activities for the improvement of spatial development were recommended, of which it is necessary to emphasise:
- The adoption of the 2nd changes and additions to the Spatial Plan of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County,
- The encouragement of municipalities and cities to harmonise spatial plans with the County Plan,
- The necessity of making a catalogue of brownfield areas in the County with a proposal of measures for their revitalisation,
- The continuation of the work on projects to recognise and mitigate the impact of climate change on the coastal area of the County,
- The continuation of work on the project of Sustainable Tourism Development in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County and determining trends in the development of tourism in settlements, primarily for municipalities and towns on the coast and islands of the County.
The Report was prepared in accordance with the Law on Physical Planning and will be considered at the session of the County Assembly to be held on 17th March, 2022.