The local plan of revitalization as a spatial policy tool for the historical town center

Abstract

Intentional spatial policy at the commune level is one of the basic determinants of socio-economic development. Errors or omissions in this regard may cause social tensions, economic, ecological and demographic crises, and other dysfunctions. They can also significantly contribute to the degradation of the cultural landscape and the disappearance of local architectural and urban features. This is especially important in the case of small and medium-sized towns. The Revitalization Act introduced a new tool for the implementation of spatial policy assumptions, i.e. the local plan of revitalization.

The aim of this article is to assess the potential effectiveness of a local plan of revitalization. The author’ attention is focused on functional, spatial and architectural issues. The article discusses the possibilities offered by the Revitalization Act in relation to the development of the functional and spatial structure of the town and the quality of architectural transformations. The potentials and limitations of these solutions have been highlighted. The subject of the study are planning arrangements and their potential spatial effects, especially in relation to small towns. The conclusions presented in the article are the result of the analysis of legal acts and the experiences of the conceptual case study of Wieluń town. The analysis is critical and relates directly to the potential effectiveness of revitalization plans in shaping the spatial policy, especially the renewal and activation of the areas of historic town centers.

The study of the possibility of using the Act is an important element in the search for an appropriate methodology for the preparation of local revitalization plans. The knowledge of the dependencies between planning instruments and the practical effects of their application gives a chance for an in-depth verification of the developed draft plans. Thus, it should contribute to the improvement of their effectiveness in shaping the spatial policy. Considerations regarding local revitalization plans are an important element of the discussion on possible interference in the existing planning order.

The conducted research shows that the local revitalization plan can be an effective tool supporting the processes of renewal and activation of historic central areas of small towns. This is due to the expansion of the commune’s competences in the field of shaping the urban and architectural form of the town. It should be recognized that it is a document that supports the protection of the cultural landscape and allows for the shaping of the city landscape in a conscious and consistent manner. It can also contribute to the social and economic revitalization of historic town centers. Its use, however, requires significant competences at the design and administrative level. The authors also point to the imperfection of many solutions introduced by the act, e.g. restrictions in the use of the so-called urban contract. They emphasize that the procedure of developing the document is complicated and its application is limited only to designated areas of revitalization. In particular, they note the high impact of the revitalization plan on property rights. This carries the risk of non-acceptance by residents / investors. It also raises the costs of compensation. In this context, especially in the case of small and medium-sized towns with limited budgets, real implementation of the solutions offered by the local revitalization plan may prove impossible due to financial implications.