Zagreb Planning Authorities Should Prevent Plans to Change the GUP

25 December 2006

Activists of Right to a City initiative and Zelena Akcija environmental organization demanded detailed information on the project to develop the Lower-City block in Zagreb, between Varsavska, Gunduliceva, Ilica, Preobrazenska Streets and the Petar Preradovic Square.

Furthermore, they protest the behaviour of the investor, Immo World Wide Zagreb, which, in spite of many repeated announcements and intensive public campaign, cancelled to planned public presentation of works that applied at the open competition for architectural solutions to the development project.

�The investors in fact mislead the interested citizens � about 70 of them actually appeared to see the non-existent presentation � which leads to the conclusion that they don�t really want public awareness and presence in the process�, say the two organizations in a public statement.

�Right to a City� and Zelena Akcija wrote to the members of the Jury that reviewed the applications with appeals not to give legitimacy to the competition and the project. The competition documents claim on several occasions that the results of this competition will be used as basis for future changes in the General Urban Plan (GUP) of the City of Zagreb, which they find unacceptable.

No architectural or urban planning solution for one block can�t be possibly used to initiate changes in the GUP. The GUP rules are conceptual and strategic, necessary to preserve the monumental whole and the attraction and vitality of Lower City.

Having in mind the list of people involved in the Jury, the two organizations fear that this is not just a wish of the investors, but possibly a serious intention of the City Authorities. Therefore, they demand from all involved parties to deny legitimacy to this project designed to force a change in the GUP.