INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT OF THE MONOFUNCTIONAL CITY OF HORISHNI PLAVNI

Abstract

About a quarter of Ukrainian cities are monofunctional and increasingly face problems and challenges in their socio-economic and spatial development. Elaboration and implementation of the concept of integrated urban development is among the possible approaches to their transformation towards more diversified economy and more comfortable urban environment. The purpose of the study is to analyse the problems of socio-economic and spatial development of the monofunctional city of Horishni Plavni and to develop proposals for their solution using the principles of integrated urban development. To achieve this goal, the authors conceptualised the problems of socio-economic and spatial development of monofunctional cities, revealed the current state of socio-economic and spatial development, as well as the institutional framework of Horishni Plavni, scrutinised the urban planning and strategic documentation of Horishni Plavni for compliance with the principles of integrated urban development, and conducted a survey on the local population’s perception of the comfort of the urban environment of Horishni Plavni. It was found that although the urban planning and strategic documentation of Horishni Plavni in general meet the principles of integrated urban development, there are problems with the implementation of strategic and operational goals of urban development, as well as specific urban planning decisions. The results of the survey of the city’s population made it possible to identify a number of problematic aspects of urban development, as well as the vision of the urban community regarding the desired directions of further transformation of the urban space. In particular, the respondents noticed a lack of information on public transport routes and small number of such routes, low involvement of residents in city management, insufficient number of high quality services, neglect of public spaces, including embankment, etc. This situation has emerged due to the lack of dialogue between the city administration and the inhabitants. In result, city planning documents do not address some urgent issues and challenges. In the final part, based on the results of an objective analysis and sociological survey, as well as the content of the existing urban planning and strategic documentation, proposals for the further development of Horishni Plavni are presented, taking into account the principles of integrated urban development.