With the adoption of amendments to the Spatial and Urban Plan (SUP) of the Municipality of Kolašin, which was prepared in 2014 for the period until 2020, the conditions have been created for the implementation of numerous projects of public interest - bus stations, markets, underground garages, gondolas, expansion of existing and opening of new ski resorts...
This was assessed by the Municipality of Kolašin, after the Government adopted changes and amendments to the Urban Development Plan on Thursday.
The implementation of the aforementioned, as well as many other projects, has so far been largely conditioned by the adoption of that document.
At the local government level, amendments to the PIP were initiated six or seven years ago, and the first draft of the plan was completed in 2020. A public hearing was also organized, after which a report was prepared with 230 comments and requests.
In the meantime, the Planning Document Revision Council has been changed, and the 2020 plan has not been continued through further legal procedures. The reasons for the halt and cessation of further work on the then draft plan, as previously stated by the developers, are unknown.
Finally, last year, after a marathon public debate, with several hundred comments and suggestions, a draft decision was defined, which, again for reasons unknown to the general public, waited for adoption until a few days ago.
As the Vice President of the Municipality told "Vijesti" Vasilije Ivanovic, the adoption of amendments to the PUP brings many benefits, which, he claims, will primarily improve the quality of life of the people of Kolašin.
"The conditions have been met for the construction of utility and service facilities of public enterprises and companies that serve the needs of the area with supporting facilities in the areas of central activities. Then, the conditions for the construction of a utility and service facility of a public underground garage, and the conditions for the reconstruction, extension, construction and upgrading of the bus station, city market and public garage with supporting facilities...", says Ivanović.
According to him, with the amendments to the Urban Development Plan, "the gondola route has been brought into line with the municipality's position and the parameters planned in the conceptual design."
Ivanovic also explains that central activities are planned on the plots in Smailagića Polje. He states that this "enables large retail chains and shopping centers to build in Kolašin, because in the previous period there was interest from 'Lidl', so now the opportunity has been created for the arrival of this global retail chain."
Twice as many inhabitants
And in the amended and supplemented PUP, the future development of the Kolašin municipality is planned very ambitiously. It was concluded that "its further development should be planned and directed towards the development of agriculture and forestry, which would have a pronounced production function, then an eco-form of tourism, as well as energy based on the exploitation of sustainable sources."
The use of existing construction areas for the expansion and densification of settlements is recommended, as well as a ban on construction in protected areas...
The improvement of the demographic picture is also planned very ambitiously, so it is foreseen that in 2035 the municipality will have more than double the population than today, or 14.220, compared to 6.700, according to the 2023 census.
One of the primary goals is the protection of agricultural land, and when it comes to tourism, "the main goal is to create a sustainable tourist offer that will be in line with the carrying capacity of the area."
"Every aspect of tourism must strive to preserve the natural environment and natural values on which the municipality's tourism potential is based. Prohibition of tourist activities that would negatively impact the environment. One of the goals is to extend the season, increase the length of stay of visitors and promote new experiences. The tourist offer of Kolašin will be based on a diverse offer in the domains of eco-tourism, such as sports tourism, 'active & extreme', skiing, hiking, mountaineering, cycling, excursion tours, agrotourism, hunting, religious and cultural, health, wellness, congress tourism," it is written in the description of the goals in this area.
Enormous increase in jobs
Forecasts regarding economic growth, as stated in the amendments to the PUP, "are closely related to the construction of tourist facilities and to a lesser extent to the construction of housing."
"Although employment in the construction sector is temporary in nature, it addresses current employment needs. If it is possible to secure funding for new tourist accommodation, the total number of jobs in Kolašin will increase from 1.795 in 2023 to approximately 4.014 in 2035. This increase in jobs will also lead to an increase in the employment rate in the municipality," the planning document states.
It is predicted that the level of employment in the agricultural sector in Kolašin will increase to 264 jobs by 2035.
It is expected that the planned focus in all industrial sectors in Kolašin will lead to an increase in employment levels.
"The construction of hotels and residential buildings will enable the expansion of wood processing facilities and generate potential for the exploitation of other resources, such as ornamental stone. Also, the energy/utilities sector will see an increase in the number of jobs to meet the growing demand from the tourism sector. The industrial sector that will record the greatest growth in the number of jobs will be the construction sector," the amendments to the PUP state.
The largest job growth in Kolašin is expected to be in the tourism sector, both in the short and long term. It is estimated that Kolašin will have 2035 workers in the tourism sector in 1.314. As it is written, the remaining jobs in the service sector will be generated by activities such as retail, public administration, healthcare... with a total number of approximately 3.250.
Ski slopes on Lola, Javorje, Mateševo...
The development of a touring ski trail on Sinjajevina is planned. Also, the establishment of three well-maintained ski resorts. When planning the ski trails on Lola and Javorje in detail, cooperation with the Municipality of Šavnik is proposed.
"On Bjelasica, the expansion and modernization of the existing ski slopes 1450 and 1600 are planned, while on Komovi, within the Nature Park, in the Mateševo planning unit, a new ski slope is planned. The plan is for the urban area of Kolašin to get an open ice rink, the functioning of which will complement the tourist offer. In addition to the ice rinks in the center of Kolašin (Radigojno and Barutana), toboggan runs with children's ski lifts are planned," are some of the projections of the future ski infrastructure of the municipality.
In addition to winter sports, it is recommended to develop summer offerings in the field of sports, adventure and extreme tourism (rafting, free climbing, mountaineering).
"Within the framework of sports tourism, it is possible to develop water sports. For the needs of water sports, only temporary facilities on the coast and possibly on the water should be planned. It is necessary to arrange promenades, preserve and build cycling and hiking trails, mark them and signalize them, as well as connect them to a wider network of cycling and hiking trails. Within the Mateševo planning zone, in accordance with the Bjelasica and Komovi Planning Area Plan, the development of an adventure park is planned," the amendments to the PUP state.
Bonus video:
