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Strategic Planning and Urban Development in Athens. The Current attempt

for Reformation and future challenges.

Conference Paper · May 2016

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Evangelos Asprogerakas
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 Sustainable urban planning & design
symposium, Nicosia, 13 MAY 2016

Strategic Planning and Urban Development in Athens.

The Current attempt for Reformation and future challenges.
Evangelos Asprogerakas, Spatial Planner, MSc, PhD
Hellenic Open University
Email: vaspro@otenet.gr

1. INTRO - Athens the capital of Greece

The current paper will try to give a general view of the new Athens Master Plan mentioning at the
same time major directions and projects of urban development in the city. In this process some
general aspects of the planning process in Greece will be presented, highlighting the main problems
and current trends.
Athens is the capital of Greece and the leading centre in terms of population, economy and culture. It
lies in the south-east of Europe holding a key position with links to Europe, Asia, Africa and the
Middle East, when at the same time it is in close proximity with the markets of the former Eastern
European countries. The metropolitan area of Athens includes the administrative boundaries of the
region of Attica with an extent of about 2000 sq.km and a population that approaches 4 million
inhabitants. The majority of the population (over 3 million) is assembled in the basin of Athens with a
total extent that does not exceed 500 sq.km.
Athens experienced an immense population growth within a time period of less than two centuries, a
process which was mainly a result of critical historical events. First of all, the fact that Athens was
announced the capital of the Modern Greek State in 1834, led to the inevitable situation of public
administration gathering here followed by a massive investment in infrastructure, both public and
private. Its geographical position is pretty crucial (situated in the centre of the country) and the
centralised structures of the Greek governmental and administration system (until today) have made
the city the absolute decision-making centre of country.

Major demographic changes contributed to the explosive urban growth during the 20th century. After
the end of the Greco-Turkish War in 1922, Athens received more than 1 million refugees from Asia
Minor while, a massive wave of rural migrants followed after the WW II. Many of them settled in self-
built, sometimes illegal constructions in the peri-urban space with the tolerance of the government
in the absence of a well structured urban policy. Last, in 1990s and afterwards, Greece turned into an
immigration country receiving a large number of immigrants from the Balkan countries at first and
later from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. They mostly settled in the declining city centre.
The massive increase of population, especially in the decades of 60s and 70s, resulted in the urgent
need for housing space. There was no public urban policy, as the Welfare State was really weak, so
urban development was based on a private-organized system called “antiparochi”, a joint venture of
small landowners and small constructors who got a share of the built property. This remained the
dominant model of urban development for over twenty years, thus leading to the massive
construction of the characteristic Athenian blocks of flats. The way the city was built inherited a
dense structure with an overall lack of public and green spaces. Simultaneously, a wide range of
social categories had access to affordable housing, which made possible to achieve a high level of
social cohesion and, moreover, a mix of land uses which made the city very lively and quite safe.

A process of suburbanisation started during the '80s. The city defused in the eastern part of the
region where the new airport was placed afterwards. As a result the area of Messogeia, has been
facing an extended urban sprawl, loosing its previous rural character.
2. Planning system in Greece

According to the EU Compendium of Spatial Planning Systems and Policies, Greece takes part in the
so-called “urbanism” planning tradition, which “has a strong architectural flavor and concern with
urban design, townscape and building control" (CEC, 1997: 37). This tradition illustrates the main
features of the Greek planning system: it has numerous laws, regulation has been undertaken
through rigid zoning and codes, it lacks efficient monitoring and control mechanisms and it responds
slowly to changing circumstances.

Figure 1: The Spatial Planning System in Greece (L.4269/2014)

The role of urban planning has traditionally been weak in Greece. It was really limited until the
accession of the country to the EU. The main urban and regional planning laws have been recently
revised (L.4269/14) in order to be more flexible and responsive as, in the face of the recent economic
crisis, spatial planning was considered to create obstacles in relation to private investment. This new
framework provides two types of planning (Fig. 1):

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 a) Strategic spatial planning is based on the analysis of data and anticipation of future
developments, includes medium-term or long-term objectives, guidelines on spatial
development and business activities and protection provisions at national or regional level.

b) Regulatory spatial planning is mainly of regulatory character providing for example, the
establishment of land uses, the building ratio etc.
The new law also incorporates previous controversial regulations such as provisions to facilitate
private investments of strategic importance sliding over the mainstream spatial and planning
legislation and the Special Spatial Plans for the development of strategic public projects and private
investments. This new institutional framework stems from a state of emergency and its ability to
address the existing problems and shortcomings of the spatial planning system (Wassenhoven, 2013)
and to ensure effective cooperation between spatial and development policies (Asprogerakas &
Zachari, 2012) remains questionable.

According to the recent reformation of the Administrative system, named “Kallikratis” programme,
(L. 3852/2010), the country is divided into seven state administrative regions (Decentralized
Authorities) with specific planning powers. Local Administration consists of 13 elected regional
authorities (second tier of local government) and 325 Local Administrative Organisations
(municipalities - first tier of local government). The role of municipalities in urban and regional
planning remains mostly advisory. The governmental executive power, in the field of spatial planning,
is represented mainly by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy.

3. The New Athens Master Plan

A new Athens Master Plan (AMP) known as the Regulatory (or Strategic) Plan of Athens
(L.4277/2014) was recently updated the first one, enacted in 1985 (fig.2). Although a first draft of the
RSA was completed in 2009 and another one later in 2011, further elaboration was necessary as the
plan faced severe contrapositions through an extensive consultation with various social actors and
stakeholders including the municipalities involved (Skayiannis, 2013). In general the Master plan
encompasses the physical planning structure of the production sector, the transportation system, the
technical infrastructure, as well as of the land and residence policy. It includes measures for the
planning of areas of special interest or special problems, and it has a coordinating role in relation to
the projects and studies related to the spatial planning of the Region and undertaken by all the other
public authorities or bodies.
The previous AMP had the ambitious target to curb urban sprawl, reduce social disparities and
enhance environmental protection. The Structural Plan was updated a few times after its approval by
the Greek Parliament. In practice, the plan was implemented successfully up to a point and was
rapidly bypassed as the preparations for Olympic projects entailed major transformations of the
urban area that ran into contradicting provisions of the Master Plan. For example, the creation of
multiple Olympic nodal activities in the periphery of the metropolitan area (such as the Olympic
Village and the equestrian centre) would further promote urban sprawl (Serraos, Asprogerakas &
Ioannou, 2009).
The main strategic objectives applied are (a) balanced economic development and strengthening of
the international role of Athens, (b) sustainable spatial development, effective protection of the
environment and cultural heritage and adaptation to climate change, and (c) improvement of the
quality of life by balancing the distribution of resources and the benefits of development.
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The above objectives are compatible with those of the previous regulation. However, the emphasis
on improving competitiveness and enhancing the production process is recognized as an effort of
adaptation to current circumstances, notably the economic crisis, ensuring a development direction
as a result (Serraos et. al., 2016; Skayannis, 2013).

Figure 2: Spatial Organization, Development Poles and axes according to the Master Plan of Athens
2014. Source: Organization for the Planning and the Environment of Athens
(http://www.organismosathinas.gr/)

The plan is strongly emphasizing the concept of the "compact city" as the main policy tool for the
aims of climate change adaptation and the ecological footprint reduction. This endeavour lies on
urban regeneration, the confinement of urban land expansion and the integration of the policies
arising from the SPA like the strengthening of multifuctionality, the improvement of accessibility
through the Urban Rail Systems, the control and protection of the peri - urban space.
The implementation of AMP is based on tree pillars:

1. The specialisation of planning through the lower planning level. The revision of the Local
Spatial Plans (LSP - former General Urban Plans) of the Municipalities in Attica is required.
The LSP constitutes the first step of the local spatial planning procedure. It has to cover the
whole area of the municipality, providing the general guidelines for its spatial development.
The local authorities are responsible for the elaboration of the LSP, while it is issued through
a Presidential Decree.

2. Protection acts for specific zones such as the mountains or the Coast: they include
Regulations for land uses, building conditions and restrictions

4
 3. Metropolitan Interventions of integrated and multidisciplinary character as a key pillar for
the revitalisation of the urban fabric.
An important tool to the last direction is the "Plan of Integrated Urban Intervention" (SOAP). The first
one, related to the centre of Athens was prepared in collaboration between the Municipality of
Athens and the Ministry with the ambition to address the spatial implications of the crisis in the
centre of the city through the promotion of integrated strategies. The implementation of the actions
provided by the plan is a great challenge as it prerequires the collaboration of several public bodies
from the central government and the local authorities. The implementation of the plan will be
funded mainly as an Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI), a new EU financial tool.

Major urban intervention projects with metropolitan significance are included in the plan (e.g., Faliro
area, Goudi Metropolitan Park, Tatoion Park, etc) as a trigger of revitalization for the urban
environment, although the shortcoming of funding is questioning the ability of implementation by
the public. A major urban intervention, recently on a final stage of development is an initiative of the
private sector. The construction of the new National Library and Greek National Opera is sponsored
by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNFCC). The idea for the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural
Centre (SNFCC) is dated back to 1998, but it was finally announced in 2006. The project was
developed at the site of the old horse racing track of Athens which is located 4.5 km south of the
centre of the city, on the edge of Faliro Bay (pic.3). Upon completion (estimated in the end of 2016),
the SNFCC will be donated to the Greek State, which is going to undertake its full control and
operation, although there are serious concerns about the maintainability of the site by the State.

Figure 3: The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre under construction in June, 2014 (photo
by the author, 06/2014)
Other major projects such as the Faliro Bay area, in proximity to the SNFCC site, and the
pedestrianization of a major avenue in the centre of the city (Panepistimiou Av.) were postponed as
a result of the inability to secure funds. Apparently, in relation to urban interventions, methods and
tools for the effective financing of urban projects are needed, maybe with the participation of the
private sector.
4. Concluding remarks / Planning challenges
In 2009, the economic and financial crisis broke out in Greece as a consequence of a massive budget
deficit, leading to extreme recession and bearing precise effects on the space (pic. 4) and everyday
life of the city (Serraos et. al., 2016). Spatial planning aims at providing a framework for urban
development through which the socio-spatial impacts of the crisis can be addressed. In the last
decades the spatial planning system was strengthened and equipped with more effective
5
instruments, but its potential impact is still weak due to several shortcomings (Serraos et. al., 2009;
Wassenhoven et. al., 2000) and it consists a major challenge for the AMP to get ahead of them.
Figure 4:

Empty retail shops in the Arsakeio arcade, a

previously elegant shopping area in the
declining centre of Athens (photo by the author,
08/2016).

There is a lack of horizontal and vertical coordination and a profound gap between spatial planning
and socioeconomic planning; Space and economy remain planned separately from each other. For
example, the new law for the promotion of private investments (Development Law n.3908/2011),
has limited spatial dimension without the incorporation of spatial policy. The strategic objectives of
the new PLA as well as the measures and actions that are included are harmonised with the
parameters of the financial priorities of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2014-
2020. It contains the related directions or contributes towards the implementation of the axes of the
Sectoral Operational Programmes and particularly the Regional Operational Programme of Attica
(OPA). Furthermore, it is possible to connect the new AMP with the OP of Attica through an Action
Plan which specifies the steps required by all stakeholders in order for the objectives of the AMP to
be achieved, allowing direct financing of the implementation of the Plan. At the same time it will
enable long-term vision, in an attempt to phase the difficulties of the administration in formulating
consistent, long term policies, and subsequently, to develop a long term strategy of policy
implementation (Asprogerakas, 2016).
As mentioned before, there is lack of efficient monitoring mechanisms for the application of the
spatial planning policy in Greece. The Program and the Action Plans are directly related to the
monitoring system referred in the law as “Observatory of Spatial, Environmental and Socioeconomic
Developments” (Art. 37 of l.4277/14). The role of the Observatory is to support the monitoring and
evaluation process of the new AMP by creating a database and using a geospatial information
system, processing of monitoring indicators and evaluation of spatial, socio-economic and
environmental data of Attica. During its operation, the organization of a broad network of
stakeholders and pooling of spatial information can ensure synergy and effective monitoring of the
implementation, evaluation and feedback of the AMP implementation.
Although in Greece plans are substantive, detailed and, generally, of very good quality, an important
gap exists between established plans and the reality. Sometimes, plans are simply adjusted to
already stabilized situations and do not lead to spatial development. One crucial reason for this
might be the centralisation of the division of power in Greece, which might resulted in the occasional
opportunistic behaviour of the regional or local authorities. As a consequence, the implementation of
spatial planning is not certain or secured in some cases (Serraos, Asprogerakas & Ioannou, 2009). A
6
 devolvement of powers was pursued when the second tier prefectural authorities were created but
it was stopped by the Council of State with a controversial interpretation of the constitution.
In the case of Athens-Attica we had a recentralisation of the metropolitan spatial planning
governance. The Organization for the Planning and the Environment of Athens (ORSA), which was
mainly responsible for the implementation of the AMP, has been recently included in a Public
Administration cost reduction programme and its responsibilities have been transferred to the
headquarters of the Ministry. The important role of Athens metropolitan area in national level needs
special attention and treatment which might became problematic through such bureaucratic paths.
The effective direction might be the creation of a special unit, ensuring flexibility, and
interdisciplinary synergies, with the aim of Metropolitan Governance.
On the whole, the AMP provisions include some key features in relation to implementation and
monitoring of the plan ensuring a potential of improvement for the responsiveness of the Spatial
Planning regime in the area of Athens. It has to be proved though whether the current governance
system is capable of addressing the issues effectively.
References

 Asprogerakas E. (2016), "The development dimension of Spatial Planning: Perspectives and

Implementation Conditions of the new Master Plan of Attica" in 14th ERSA-GR CONFERENCE, 24-
25 June, Athens (in Greek).
 Asprogerakas, E. & Zachari, V. (2012) Territorial cohesion and spatial planning: The need for
policy coordination in Greece. In: The future of development and spatial planning of Greece.
Conference Proceedings, Hellenic Association of Regional Planners, University of Central Greece,
NTUA. 25 February 2012. Delphi, Greece (in Greek).
 Commission of the European Communities (1997), The EU compendium of spatial planning
systems and policies, Regional development studies, 28 G, Luxembourg: CEC
 Serraos Κ., Greve Τ., Asprogerakas Ε., Balampanidis D, Chani A., "Athens, a capital in crisis.
Tracing the spatial impacts", (2016) in Knieling J., Othengrafen F. (eds) Cities in Crisis, Socio-
spatial impacts of the economic crisis in Southern European cities, 334 pages, ISBN:
9781138850026, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, London.
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context of crisis. International Journal of Architectural Research, 7 (2), 192–205.
 Wassenhoven L., (2013) “Planning Policy and Law in Hard Times: The case of Greece under the
current crisis“ Keynote speech in Platform of Experts in Planning Law Conference: Rethinking
planning law in the crisis era. New scope, new tools, new challenges, 17-18 October, Athens.
 Wassenhoven L., E. Asprogerakas, E. Gianniris, T. Pagonis, C. Petropoulou and P. Sapountzaki
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 Wassenhoven, L., L. Karka and P. Sapountzaki (2000) National Overview of conditions for the
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