Case study of Bourgas

Vanya Simeonova (M.Sc.) WUR

Institutional change for sustainable urban development:

The challenges of urbanisation and nature conservation in Bulgaria

LIVEABLE CITIES

Mandra Lake

Atanasovsko lake

Urbanization and Nature conservation:Conditions for development of recreation and

tourism

Vaia Lake

•Natural connection between main urban area and the suburb;

•Located next to nature reserve Atanasovsko Lake and the coast;

•Good accessibility to infrastructure

•High economic private interests for developments in tourism

• Pristine bird habitat

The Case Study: Bourgas Atanasovsko Lake Area

• Progressive decentralization

• Political changes

• Development of land and estate market

• Restrictive financial policy

• Emergence of private actors in urban development

• Financial competition between local authorities

• Harmonization of the legislation to the EU

Factors influencing formal institutions in planning and nature management in Bulgaria

- Statutory planning PROCEDURE

- Environmental assessment PROCEDURE

The local planning process within formal institutional framework

The land use planning process:

-preparing a planning assignment in conformity with the General Spatial Plan and national legislation

-making formal agreements about the project development

-offering a planning design

-organizing stakeholders’ consultation

-submission of a new land use plan to the local council

The local planning process within formal institutional

framework

Functional zoning-II version

Amendment of the General & Detail Land Use Plan of BurgasCorner Land Area , Sarafovo, Burgas-II Phase

The formal role of the Local authorities:

-elaborate the project idea

-comply to the development priorities of the municipality

-to provide information to all interested parties

-formally approve the plan

Organizations and the Rules of the Game

Organizations and the Rules of the Game

The informal role of the Local authorities:

-Stakeholder Consultation

-Organizational Communication

-Initiation and leadership of the planning process

Interests of the local actors:

-the interest of the land owners to develop and increase the value of their land

-the interest of the municipality to develop an attractive and functional urban territory

-the interest of the ecologists to preserve the nature values and biodiversity

-the interest of the businesses to invest in development

-the interest of the local people for quality of life

Balancing objectives for sustainable urban development

Institutional Problems in the local planning process

- Problems of Capacity building: knowledge, communication, practice

- Organizational fragmentation

- Lack of recognition of the actors’ interdependency

- Unclear rules of the game (legislations, procedures)

- Lack of vision and strong leadership

Formal Transformations :

-Changing organizational structures: team building

-Professional input: multidisciplinary approach of planning, integrating knowledge

-Achieving formal commitments: at the initial phase of the plan identify and consider differences in development interests

-Considering ambitions and their alternatives in decision making

Needs for an institutional change

Informal Transformations

-Bring individual professionals together (Environmental experts & planners)

-Consult with land owners directly affected by the project

-Inform local community about the project

- Consult with nature conservation organizations

-Show openness to public and private organization interested in the project

Needs for an institutional change

Urban Development Plan

Integrated Urban Development

Environmental assessment procedures&

actors

Land use planning

procedures & actors

Institutional Transformation

The Role of Institutional Change For Achieving Sustainable Urban Development

The CHALENGE of inter-institutional communication to balance interests !

Institutional Change for an Integrated Urban Development and Nature Conservation