At its final meeting before the October 28 municipal elections signal the end of its term of office, Sofia City Council approved changes to the citys master plan.
The changes are subject to approval by the Government.
The amendments include setting out 10 new business industrial zones and five regions for residential buildings.
Sofia chief architect Petur Dikovs proposals include shutting down Kremikovtzi, the steel plant controversial for its emissions, and building of new residential districts in the northern and north-western city areas, and new business buildings, as well as a new cemetery. Extension of the metro is also planned, as well as moving the Central Prison out of the city. About 3000 sq m are to be excised from South Park (Yuzhen Park) to make way for a large sports hall.
The amendments are to be forwarded to the Cabinet. If approved, it is possible that the changes will come into effect in March 2008, Bulgarian-language Netinfo.bg reported on October 10. Parliament approved the Sofia Master Plan Bill in 2006.
The main area of land that the municipality wants to use for the so-called long-term mixed multifunctional zone are the 1000 hectares currently occupied by Kremikovtzi.
City councillors said that the idea was to give opportunity and stimulus to shut down metallurgic production within the municipal area. There are plans for a satellite city but construction would go ahead only if the steel producer were shut down for not following its environmental obligations. This will become clear at the end of October, when the Ministry of Environment and Water Affairs is expected to decide on the case.
A possible change to the status of the land now used by Kremikovtzi would be a stimulus for business and residential building in the area. Similar changes are planned for a separate 350 ha. However, to avoid speculation, Dikov said public hearings and a referendum should be held on these projects.
The extended metro line would also go to Kremikovtzi, along a route via Sofia Airport.
Other proposals anticipate new functions for five zones in the inner city area, adding up to about 350 ha in all. Currently, there are a number of buildings and storehouses in the area that are disused, old and partly destroyed. In the northern industrial zone there are plans for residential buildings to cover about 100 ha, in the industrial zones Orion and Zaharna Fabrika, 80 ha each, in the Sredets zone 100 ha, Hladilnika zone, 50 ha and zone Izgrev 20 ha.
Changes are planned for 60ha in the Vitosha area, currently occupied by the Defence Ministry. There, and on 16 ha in the Hladilnika zone, there are plans for residential buildings for the local and central administration.
Furthermore, logistic centres would be constructed over 1350 ha of agricultural land next to the beginning of Trakiya Highway in the northern part of Sofia, on the Botevgradsho Chausse, Hemus Highway, Evropa Boulevard and the northern part of Sofia's ring road.
Other residential buildings are planned to appear near the villages of German, Lozen, Bistritsa, Voinyagovtsi, Lokorsko, Bankya and Vladaya. In addition, Sofia City Prison would be moved out of the city, while, according to the city councillors, its current building could be used for a tourist attraction or a museum, and business centres and shops will be built in the neighbourhood. A new cemetery is planned south of Kazichene, over 100 ha.
There are also huge projects around Iskur lake, recently called water park Iskur, where new sports zones would be added. At the city council meeting, some dispute arose over the former Sofia Land amusement park. The changes of the Master Plan foresee construction of a new transport connection and a new street to pass through the park.
The city councillors also approved the construction of a skyscraper and a shopping mall in Zaharna Fabrika neighbourhood. Opposite to the entrance of the West Park (Zapaden Park) a 35-storey building with a big commercial centre is envisaged. The project developers are Eurocapital Finance and Imoti Trade 2005, Bulgarian-language Banker reported.
The skyscraper would be constructed on 19 000 sq m private property at the corner of Slivnitsa Boulevard and Koukoush Street. The investors requested the city to give them the right to include in their project the neighbouring municipal land, which currently are green areas. In exchange they promised to finance the planting of about 3000 to 4000 new trees, as well as the construction of a 110m bridge, connecting the skyscraper with the park entrance. They said they would finance the bridge with their own money. A decision on this proposal has been postponed for the time being.
