The Government simplified the procedure for the development and approval of research and project documents for construction in historical settlements. The relevant draft resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers “On Amendments to the Procedure for Determining the Boundaries and Regimes of Using Historical Areas of Settlements and Restrictions on Economic Activities in Historical Areas of Settlements” was approved by the Government on February 21.
The draft resolution cancels the necessity of a historical and city planning justification in those historically populated areas where historical and architectural reference plans have been developed and approved in accordance with the established procedure. And starting from January 1, 2019, a historical and city planning justification system will be completely abolished. All project documents for new construction projects in historically populated areas should be developed solely in accordance with historical and architectural reference plans.
“Such an instrument as the approval of historical and city planning justifications is not provided by law. Its development is determined only by methodological recommendations of the Ministry of Culture, but the use of this instrument made it possible to go beyond the rules of general plans and involved risks to the preservation of cultural heritage,” the BRDO’s Construction Sector head Olena Shuliak said.
However, this can be considered only a half victory, since not many settlements have historical and architectural reference plans. According to the Law of Ukraine “On Regulation of Urban Development”, it is necessary to define regimes of land development regulation and develop historical and architectural reference plans for settlements, which are historic sites, within defined areas in the framework of general plans. However, as of September 2017, such plans are approved only in 86 settlements, that is, in 20% of places of historical interest in Ukraine. So, land development rules are not actually specified in 80% of settlements. Moreover, 50% of regional centers, particularly, Kyiv and Lviv, where UNESCO World Heritage sites are located, do not have reference plans.
BRDO hopes that the abolition of historical and city planning justifications would accelerate the adoption of historical and architectural reference plans of settlements by relevant local authorities.