Another milestone

The amendment provides for the introduction of a new planning instrument, which is to be the general plan for the municipality, replacing the study of conditions and regulating the planning rules for the municipality’s entire area with regard to the most important aspects. The general plan is to specify the functions of individual sites and such aspects as the intensity, height and maximum area of development as well as the requisite biologically active area. What differentiates the new general plan from the existing study is its binding character for decisions and other planning acts. No longer will it be only local plans (as hitherto) that have to comply with this overarching act – from now on this obligation will apply to zoning decisions as well. Furthermore, the zoning decision will lose its previous significance, as it will only be issued in relation to areas of additional development designated by the municipality in the general plan. This is supposed to allow for b