Participation in the Conference organised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, regarding the review of the Regional Plans

Our experts Mrs Alexandra Papadima Kalergi, Mr Vasilis Axiotis, Mr Stratis Babalikis and Mrs Dafni Manousaridi, have participated in the 2-days conference with the theme “The process of reviewing the Regional Plans as a development leverage tool”, which was held between 12 and 13 November in Athens. The conference was organised by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change and sought to identify the development potential of the 12 Regions in Greece, in the framework of the current reviewing of the Regional Frameworks for Spatial Planning and Sustainable Development, in force in each Region.

The conference started with the key-note speech / greeting from the Minister, Mr. Maniatis, who emphasized the need to review, simplify and reform the urban and regional planning processes, to reduce bureaucratic procedures and to combine spatial planning with development programming for 2014-2020, particularly now that are both being elaborated and the socioeconomic crisis puts excessive pressure to the society and the individuals due to the administrative reforms and the fiscal restraints. The Deputy Minister, Mr Kalafatis, in his key-note speech placed the emphasis on the due legislative reform on the existing urban and regional planning law which is in the final stages of preparation, as well as the recent relevant legislation enacted (cadastral registry, effective dealing of illegal and haphazard development, creation of a land deposit system, natural resources management) aiming to introduce a new land use policy and practice, part of which is the current review of the Regional Plans. In respect to investments, he stressed that the aforementioned framework governing urban and regional planning policy and practice, aims to provide clear guidelines and regulations that will encourage development, as well as promote social rights and sustainable protection of natural resources.

The conference also included presentations of the 12 Regional Plans under review, which focused on the particular local circumstances, strengths and weaknesses in each Region, as well as raised issues related to the conclusion of the Studies that need to be taken care of by central authorities and policy makers. The presentations also gave the ground for interesting discussions amongst representatives from Ministries and other central institutions, Regional and Local Authorities, to take place. In this context, the main findings from the evaluation of the Regional Plan of Epirus, which is conducted by our company in a joint venture with the companies THEORIMA SA and LOLOS, were presented by our Team Coordinator, Mr Nikiforos Balatsinos. During and after the presentation, several important issues regarding the development potential of the Region of Epirus were raised, such as prospects for smart specialization, maritime spatial planning, blue economy, extraction of hydrocarbons, and most significantly the completion of large infrastructural projects (transportation networks) that, over time, have been pivotal for realizing the Region’s development potential.