In September 2024, OIR went on an excursion to Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia. The trip focused mainly on urban development. We were guided by Marek Dinka from the Authority for Spatial Planning and Construction of the Slovak Republic. Hereby, Marek told us about recent developments in the Slovak spatial planning system. A new national spatial planning law came into force in Slovakia on 1 April 2024, which is a big step towards digitalisation and standardisation. For example, all municipalities in Slovakia must have a standardised digital land use plan by 2032. Work is currently starting on a new spatial development concept for Slovakia – similar to the Austrian Spatial Development Concept (ÖREK).
After lunch next to the castle of Bratislava, we had a tour of the Eurovea urban development area on the banks of the Danube. It is an example of successful urban development on a former brownfield site – with the National Theatre, a public square, a park by the Danube and Slovakia’s largest shopping centre and first skyscraper. There are also plans for a new tram line to run through the district. The excursion ended with a walk through the historic city centre and a visit to a café.
Presentation on the Slovak spatial planning system
Presentation on the digitisation and standardisation process
