As many of you are aware, Split revealed the master plan for the revitalization of the East Coast and Kopilica. After the public presentation and a series of workshops with the media, councilors, architects and private landowners, one of the project's authors, Christof Schremmer from the Austrian Institute for Spatial Planning, spoke in detail with Dalmatinski Portal on March 25, 2019. 

On the example of Vienna, Schremmer showed that he had similarly implemented this idea, that is, create an entire urban neighborhood around a station which was previously avoided by inhabitants. 

Vienna is an optimistic example, but on the other hand, for one European town, it took 12 years from the idea to completion. How realistic is it that Split will realize everything in their announced timeframe?

“It’s realistic. We gathered all the stakeholders, from the Croatian Railways, the HŽ Cargo, the Port Authority to the Croatian Roads, to work together to find solutions. When we talk about the timeline, we are talking about two locations - East Coast and Kopilica. As far as the East Coast is concerned, which is considerably smaller than Kopilica, it is necessary first to clean and repair the railway line. When this happens, it is possible to realize it in some ten years. Kopilica is much bigger; for this, we believe it will be a brand new neighborhood in the city and we are talking about a realistic 20-year period. So, in that period, everything will be completed, from hotels, apartments, tourist facilities, promenades, a pedestrian bridge over Ulica Domovinskog rata. In this area, it is crucial to build an intermodal transportation center from which everything moves, after that we would need to resolve the rail and freight terminal in Stinica, which would reduce the burden on the city ferry port in terms of freight vehicles entering the city center. The port of Stinica could be realized in 5 to 10 years. Then you would see concrete moves. Also, some parts in Kopilica could be quickly realized, for example, after moving the Promet garage to Dračevac, this would be a good location the city for residential construction.

What was your biggest challenge? What do you consider to be the key to this project?

“Our masterplan work was contracted by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) on the basis of an agreed work program elaborated with the City of Split. We are focusing on projects that can be realized and have positive effects. To achieve this, we work closely with key stakeholders to provide new infrastructure. The challenge is to establish a permanent work process between the city and the stakeholders to reach a coherent set of new infrastructures such as railways, roads, bridges, and ports promptly and ensure continuous communication with citizens.”

But Split’s current traffic solution is catastrophic…

“Proposed transport measures include a modern rail link from East Coast to Kopilica, then to the airport and Trogir. This should be an attractive means of transport for the entire region, not just for tourists, which can significantly reduce the traffic or arrival of vehicles from suburban settlements to the city. Another goal is to make the environmentally-friendly forms of transport more attractive in the city by improving the bus transportation system and providing good cycling trails, i.e., for e-bikes and e-scooters. There doesn’t need to be large public garages on the East Coast that would attract more cars; garages are only planned for the needs of hotels, offices or cultural buildings that will be built in the future.”

Schremmer mentioned that last July, 12,000 vehicles were measured entering and leaving the city harbor.

“In order to reduce this burden, we propose a cargo port in Kopilica, which can reduce incoming/outgoing traffic for the heaviest vehicles. The redirection of about 2,000 trucks and delivery vehicles per day from the narrow urban area to Kopilnica would be a significant improvement. Also, if a good park & ride garage with a new attractive car park is provided in Kopilica, the number of vehicles in the city center can be reduced to 4,000 per day.”

Where would Schremmer position the roundabout? What would be the entrance to the harbor?

“A new entry road, to be constructed from Zagrebačka Street to the roundabout would be located in the area behind the existing bus station, on the land of HŽ. From this roundabout, the cars would be distributed according to different ferry connections. The vehicles to be discharged from the ferry would be directed to the same roundabout, after which they would leave the tunnel from the port area on Pojišanska Street. Croatian Roads must elaborate detailed project plans and define the exact exit point. At this point, we estimate that the tunnel will be 400 to 600 meters long. The existing bridge in the south would remain as an additional option in the event of blocking a new exit. This traffic regulation would significantly reduce congestion in this area.

For the road to be realized, we suggest that the railway line in the new terminal building should be lowered by about 6 meters. This would, on the one hand, provide sufficient space for the new entry road. On the other hand, this would allow a new approach to the East Coast and the Old Town - getting out of the train, moving on escalators, and an open view on the harbor, no cars, buses, and trucks blocking it. The terminal building itself could have three to four floors, not too much, and there would be room for offices, shops, catering facilities and the like.”

The East Coast includes apartments, as the revitalization of the East Coast and Kopilica is also described as a demographic measure. It foresees returning the population to the center, but how possible is it considering the location and astronomical prices per square meter?

“The main intention is to make this part a cultural, congress and conference center with the intention that this space is active for the whole year. The housing part is very small, it should be above the part of the tunnel entrance. Kopilica foresees more flats, for younger families with affordable prices.”

In the last few days, you have been holding a series of presentations with different profiles of citizens. What is the feedback?

"It seems to me that people see a coherent plan which could determine the direction things could take place. It should be known that information from all stakeholders is now being collected and then it will be decided more specifically. It has many capacities for further masterplan development.”

What is the key to making this master plan function?

“For the realization of the master plan, it is most important for all parties to gather and coordinate their projects with a long-term perspective. The contribution of the Croatian Railways, the HŽ Cargo, the Port Authority and Croatian Roads is necessary for the entire system to function. That is why we believe that the motto of this process - 'Split United' - is excellent, because we can only realize it together.”

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The showroom project of Split United, i.e., the master plan of the urban revitalization study of Split’s East Coast and Kopilica, opens for all interested public today at 4 pm. The showroom is located on the first floor of the Administrative Building Dalma near the University Center for Vocational Studies (Kopilica 5) and will be open until April 19th on weekdays from 4 pm to 8 pm, reports Dalmacija Danas on March 21, 2019. 

It presents visual representations of the master plan as well as the timeline of the development of the East Coast and Kopilica, so that all interested parties can be fully informed about the presented study and actively and informatively included in the public discussion. For the same reason, over the last three days, many expert workshops were held with different stakeholders, from city councilors and professionals to landowners at two subject locations with the residents themselves.

Recall, the master plan, among other things, defines new tourism and residential properties. On the East Coast, the construction of residential buildings, hotels, and garages on several levels are planned. The East Coast would be "a place to preserve and enhance the historical significance of UNESCO heritage and a new place of residence for the local population."

In Kopilica, a new cargo port (RoRO) is planned for automobile transportation to the islands, but also a new waterfront or promenade and a tunnel below Bačvice. As a measure to retain inhabitants in the city, they plan to build 8,984 apartments in Kopilica and 286 apartments on the East Coast. The aim is to bring 19,764 inhabitants to Kopilica and 629 to the East Coast. 

The bridge across the Kaštela bay was considered a "long-term national project" that ensures access to the port in Kopilica from the state road. There would also be residential buildings, shops, rest areas, parks, and catering facilities along the coast. 

Unlike the past development vision, where this area was viewed only as a transit hub, it will now become a “modern neighborhood that has housing, education, a business center, and public, entertainment and tourist facilities."

As part of the showroom, an exhibition of selected photos from the recently held photo contest "Kopilica and East Coast - the current state and perspective" was opened. Among the nearly 200 photographs received from 15 different authors, the best was awarded to Majda Rožić for the photo "Kopilica." Žaklina Antonijević won the second prize, while the third went to Janka Bauka. The exhibition, like the showroom, will remain open to the public until April 19, 2019.

The city of Split invites all citizens, experts, and stakeholders to visit the showroom, get detailed information about the project and actively engage in a public discussion, because only the engagement of all guarantees that the final solution of the master plan will best respond to the city's needs in the next 50 years. 

More information about the public hearing procedure is available here. 

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A master plan study was presented in Split on Monday which will revitalize the city’s East Coast and Kopilica area. The master plan was submitted by consultants from the company IC Consulenten from Austria. Split is one of many European cities that have resorted to long-term urban planning, supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, which co-financed the project with 600,000 euro, reports Dalmacija Danas on March 18, 2019. 

Victoria Zinchuk, director of EBRD in Croatia, said she was lucky to be in Split today and explained why the EBRD decided to support this project. Zinchuk said that Split has great potential and that ERBD wants this to be only one in a series of projects that they will co-finance. She stressed that this would give a boost to the development of Split and thanked everyone who worked on this project, which required a lot of effort. 

Zinchuk added that they did not see the project as solving traffic congestion but rather creating a chance for the local population to gain new jobs.

James Mathews, a representative of the Austrian company IC Consulenten, said that Split has a lot to offer, and the goal of the project is to permanently increase housing and halt traffic congestion in the city center. He added that Kopilica would thus see a new railway and bus station, and the eastern coast of the city harbor and the airport would be connected by light rail.

From the very beginning, the Ministry of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure has been involved in the project. 

“I am glad that there is interest in this study, which is an initiative for the development of spatial plans and, in the end, launching and realizing large projects in Split. The Ministry participated in the master plan. Without the distribution of traffic in this area it is impossible to accomplish this project. The traffic is most directly related to Kopilica and the East Coast. The Ministry prepared a whole series of transport projects that will ultimately contribute to the realization of all this.

The project of the fast road from Trogir to Omiš is ongoing. It is necessary to make a link from Solin to Podstrana and bypass Omiš. The agglomeration of about 300,000 inhabitants will be connected to one whole, and this is, after the Pelješac Bridge, the largest Croatian road construction project.

Apart from that, a whole range of projects are being developed, which we will talk about on Tuesday. Finally, the airport will be connected to Split by rail. In the 1990s, the EBRD participated in the preparation and beginning of realizing the EKO project, which is probably the most significant project implemented in Croatia. Over 300 million euro has been withdrawn, and it is my pleasure to see the gentlemen from the ERBD. I want this master plan to be the initiative of the future development of Split and the driver of all spatial plans that will lead to the realization of all the content that should be made in these two locations,” said State Secretary Tomislav Mihotić.

The mayor of Split, Andro Krstulović Opara, did not hide his satisfaction. 

“Our generation, your generation does not have the luxury to miss this. That is why this public hearing, which will last five to six weeks, with all of the workshops, is an excellent opportunity to perform tasks among different generations. I was critical of some of my predecessors, but I do not think I'm smarter than them. We have just taken advantage of the exceptional circumstances that have given us membership in the European Union and we are using the benefits of this unity.

The EBRD provided us with this great opportunity we decided to use. This plan is concentrated on several goals. The main goal is to achieve a city of the future that is concentrated on the future of young families and job creation, but also the changing structure of our city. We are talking about traffic, creating a new space for business and taking advantage of opportunities using examples from Vienna and London, who have achieved excellent results for their citizens with their knowledge.

Split is positioned as the center of the eastern Adriatic Coast and deserves what was here at the beginning of my address, and this is a common approach to thinking about the future that will have the same amount of time for the next few decades. Openness is something we want to see. Our cooperation and responsibility towards the generation in front of us is expected to be the best.

We want a Mediterranean city of the future, we want to create a whole host of benefits for young families to concentrate on raising their families here. We are planning on more than 20,000 jobs in this project. This is a generational step we can, want and and will use,” the mayor said.

I am convinced that by presenting this plan, by the quality of our experts, and by the public, which is invited to participate, we will not miss this, but we will take the opportunity. It's time - right now! I can see on your face that you are waiting to accomplish this goal, which we have presented in a contemporary way. United Split - Split united,” mayor Krstulović Opara finished his address.

The master plan, among other things, defines new tourism and residential properties. On the East Coast, the construction of residential buildings, hotels, and garages on several levels are planned. The East Coast would be "a place to preserve and enhance the historical significance of UNESCO heritage and a new place of residence for the local population."

In Kopilica, a new cargo port (RoRO) is planned for automobile transportation to the islands, but also a new waterfront or promenade and a tunnel below Bačvice. As a measure to retain inhabitants in the city, they plan to build 8,984 apartments in Kopilica and 286 apartments on the East Coast. The aim is to bring 19,764 inhabitants to Kopilica and 629 to the East Coast. 

The bridge across the Kaštela bay was considered a "long-term national project" that ensures access to the port in Kopilica from the state road. There would also be residential buildings, shops, rest areas, parks, and catering facilities along the coast. 

Unlike the past development vision, where this area was viewed only as a transit hub, it will now become a “modern neighborhood that has housing, education, a business center, and public, entertainment and tourist facilities."

You can see a photo gallery for the plans at Kopilica and the East Coast at Splitski Dnevnik. More details to come. 

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