The project scope involved working simultaneously at the macro land use and at the urban scale for the regulation of the settlements. The preparation the Plan focused in promoting the sustainable tourism development through supporting investments and revitalizing the local environmental and cultural assets.
The study team was formed by international and local experts and Thanos Pagonis was the Team Leader. The preparation of the Plan follows the general studies of the “Southern Coastal Development Plan” which was developed under the Integrated Coastal Management Project of the WB, as approved on July 2008.
The scope of work involved formulating a Vision and Territorial Development Strategy for Tourism, identifying Strategic Investment projects and preparing the Land Use and Local Regulations based on this vision and in conformity with the requirements of the Territorial Planning Law.
The scope of work included as well as drafting of the Strategic Environmental Assessment. A significant part of the project involved working on ground for carrying out of surveys for the preparation of land use due to total lack of data as well as holding public consultations with local stakeholders for dealing with various conflicts.
The approval of the Plan was a big challenge due to the combination of the special identity of the area and the high interest of the investors. The project closed successfully with the plan eventually has been approved in the National Territorial Council in June 2012. The approval of the plan was a political milestone which marked a new era for the development of the area towards formalization.
