Athens regulatory plan reaches next step
The plan that will regulate how Athens evolves and what new construction can take place in the city until 2021 is to be discussed at committee level in Parliament on Wednesday, Environment Minister Yiannis Maniatis said on Thursday.
The regulatory plan aims to contain the geographical expansion of the city while improving the quality of life in a number of neighborhoods. Five major regeneration projects are planned: Panepistimiou Street in central Athens, Akadimia Platonos, the refugee apartment blocks on Alexandras Avenue, the southern part of Piraeus and the nearby suburb of Drapetsona.
The scheme also foresees the creation of more residential properties in the downtown areas of Thiseio and Plaka as well as the pedestrianization of central Piraeus. At the same time, it creates the conditions for neighborhoods created by Greek refugees from Asia Minor some 90 years ago, such as Nea Philadelphia, Nea Ionia, Kaisariani and Vyronas, to be protected from further development.
“We had promised to bring this discussion to Parliament before we formalize the strategic decisions that will form the roadmap the capital will follow for the next 20 years,” said Maniatis.
The regulatory plan also foresees the extension of the Attiki Odos highway in a number of directions – a proposal that had drawn criticism from environmentalists and citizens’ groups in the past.
