Stevović: Smokvica is a rare positive example

The Acting Chief State Architect Vladan Stevović issued the approval to the company "VAS invest" for the modified conceptual design of the future luxury tourist complex "Smokva Bay" in the location of Smokvica, not far from Režević.

Although "VAS invest" already in January 2021 received approval for the conceptual solution of the tourist settlement from the then chief state architect, after the change of ownership in this company, when the Swiss company took over the entire ownership from the previous Russian company, it followed, for Montenegrin circumstances and an unusual situation - the new owners believed that instead of megalomaniacal construction, a complex should be built on Smokvica to the standards of world tourist resorts.

Chief state architect Vladan Stevović confirmed to "Vijesta" that this is a rare example in Montenegrin practice, where investors practically try to use the maximum allowed parameters allowed by planning documents.

"This is an example of positive practice by investors that is almost rare in the country. Renunciation of possible profit in order to preserve the environment, by creating a new space tailored to man. The new project with a complex of buildings with a significant reduction in volume is integrated into the existing natural environment," said Stevović to "Vijesta".

With the issuance of the new decision, as written in the document that "Vijesti" had access to, the decision on consent to the tourist settlement, which was issued on January 26, 2021, ceases to be valid.

"In 2022, the Swiss company GVC Swiss Property Holding took over the full ownership of the company VAS Invest doo Budva, which is an investor in the Smokva Bay project," the company VAS invest told News.

As they emphasized, the owners created an architectural solution in cooperation with the renowned Canadian company "Blueprint Global", internationally known for creating business concepts, structuring and bringing to market some of the world's best projects in the field of real estate for various purposes, especially in the field of tourism, and renowned by the Montenegrin architectural office - ANDU architects, which knows and feels the local landscape, sensibility and potential of Montenegrin nature very well.

"The goal of this team is for the "Smokva Bay" project to be competitive with the world's largest tourism projects, and to respect the natural space that makes this location unique and to preserve the environment. In this direction, the new owners decided to reduce the construction capacity. Although this is to the detriment of the economic profitability of the project itself, less capacity will be built than is allowed by the planning documentation, but it will give a special atmosphere to future visitors of the complex, who will not have the feeling of excessive urbanization of this truly wonderful location", emphasizes the company, which announces from autumn implementation of the project.

On the other hand, as they add, in this way the recognition of the Montenegrin coast will be preserved, as the landscape of an extremely rich location.

"This approach was also understood by the Directorate of the Chief State Architect, which supported the aspiration to put long-term goals (project development with respect for the environment) before short-term economic calculations to create as much profit as possible based on as much construction as possible. Before us are now the preparation of the main project, its revision, and the construction application, so we will try to realize it all in the shortest possible time, so that we can start building the buildings of this complex already in the fall. We sincerely look forward to the completion of this complex, because we absolutely believe that it will justify both our expectations, as well as the expectations of the local community itself, and of the whole of Montenegro", the company concludes.