Space as universal category is essential determinant of the country and simultaneously subject of the most important process of its development – the process of planning.
Planning of the space is a way of establishing strategy for development of the territory of each civilized country.
The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning, through itsDepartment of Spatial Planning, is mandated to manage and implement the policies and monitor the processes of space shaping in the Republic of Macedonia.
Spatial planning is multi-disciplinary activity aimed at long-term projection of space development from all points of view.
Spatial planning ensures balanced spatial development, rational planning and use of space, conditions for human living and work for citizens, as well as designing of measures for environment and nature protection and improvement, protection against military destructions, natural and technological accidents, etc.
Spatial Planning is continuous process implemented through permanent production and adoption of Spatial Plans, as well as coordination of their implementation and implementation itself.
The activity of spatial planning is of public interest regulated by:
- Law on Spatial and Urban Planning and
- Law implementing the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Macedonia
The enforcement of the said laws is a responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning – Department of Spatial Planning, the latter being organized into three units:
Unit for plan and spatial policy
Unit for spatial plans implementation
Division for strategic environmental assessment
Activities of the Department under the Law:
- it coordinates the procedure of spatial plans development;
- it carries out the procedure for their adoption;
- it monitors the implementation (through preparation of annual reports on the Plan implementation);
- itissues conditions for space planning (Decision on space planning conditions);
- it takes part in the preparation of laws and bylaws;
- it provides professional opinion on compliance of the plans at lower level with the National Spatial Plan;
- it prepares estimate and biannual programme for implementation of the Spatial Plan of the Republic of Macedonia;
- it provides opinions in the area of spatial planning;
- it coordinates and implements policies related to the implementation of the procedure for strategic environmental assessment;
- it makes analysis and strategic environmental assessment and issues opinion on report and decision for strategic environmental assessment implementation;
- it prepares documents and proposes laws and provides the required technical assistance in relation to strategic environmental assessment.
Other activities – international and cross-sector cooperation:
- it implements international conventions in the area of spatial planning;
- it exercises cross-sector and international cooperation;
- it takes part in the preparation of programmes for cooperation with neighbouring countries in transboundary context;
- it cooperates with EU (EU Territorial Agenda and other documents in the area of spatial planning);
- it cooperates with European Environment Agency (EEA);
- it cooperates with the Council of Europe (CEMAT) etc.
Spatial Plan of the Republic of Macedoniais a strategy for spatial development of the country providing guidelines for the purpose, use, protection, organization, planning and management of the space in the Republic of Macedonia.
Spatial Plan is governing document of sustainable value and integrating development nature.
Spatial Plan of the Republic of Macedonia contains:basic purpose of land, guidelines for space planning and use, spatial distribution of commercial and non-commercial structures, network of settlements, spatial distribution of transport and other infrastructure, strategic environmental assessment, guidelines and measures for environment and nature protection and improvement, measures for protection of immovable cultural heritage, measures for protection against military destructions, measures for protection against natural and technological accidents, parameters for the plan implementation and relevant graphical outlines.
Spatial Plan is elaborated by special methodology.
Spatial Plan further elaborated through:Spatial Plan of region, Spatial Plan of municipality, municipalities in the City of Skopje and the City of Skopje andSpatial Plan of area of special interest for the Republic of Macedonia (such as: water accumulation, aquifer, area for mineral resources exploitation, infrastructure and transport corridors, etc.)
Spatial Plans are developed by the Space Planning Agency established by the Government of the Republic of Macedonia, upon order by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning.
Spatial plans are adopted by:
Spatial Plan of the Republic of Macedonia, Spatial Plan of region, Spatial Plan of municipality, municipalities in the City of Skopje and the City of Skopje andSpatial Plan of area of special interestare adopted by the Assembly of theRepublic of Macedonia.
The following Spatial Plans have been adopted in the recent period:
- Decision to adopt Spatial Plan of the region of Kozjak accumulation (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 49/99);
- Spatial Plan of the region of Kozjak accumulation
- Spatial Plan of the region of protection zones of Rasche springs (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 98/02);
- Spatial Plan of the Republic of Macedonia (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 39/04)
- Spatial Plan of the region of Treska River Basin(Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 25/07);
- Spatial Plan of Ohrid-Prespa region (Official Gazette of the Republic of Macedonia no. 22/10).
Spatial Plans in development procedure:
- Spatial Plan of Skopje region (in a phase of proposal plan development);
- Spatial Plan for NP “Mavrovo”;
- Spatial Plan for NP “Galichica” (draft plan developed);
- Spatial Plan of Crna Reka River Basin (preparatory activities finalized).