New Practices for Land Management in Albania

Five case studies from three different municipalities have been addressed in book, namely: the Municipality of Durrës, Fier and Shkodra. The joint work with the municipalities was mainly focused on the drafting of the case studies concerning the applicability of the new land management instruments, through which it would be possible to balance public and private interests in development, by further encouraging democracy strengthening and the rule of law in land development in Albania.

Through the use of case studies, this publication seeks to highlight the necessity Albania has to transit from land development on a plot-basis (or even 3-4 plots) towards territorial development, which takes into account the surrounding context and a larger space, leading to development on an area-basis. Such a development, apart from the physical impact on the structures or the surrounding space, takes into account the costs of securing public infrastructure, and the changing property value, as a result of development in the area.

The most recent legal amendments of the Law no. 10119, oblige each local government unit, be it a municipality or a commune, to equip its territory with detailed local instruments, within 24 months of approval of  the general local instrument. The case studies are presented as detailed local instruments, which can be of help to the planning and territorial development control authorities in municipalities or commnes which already have a general local plan approved.

The book ‘‘New Practices for Land Management in Albania’, builds on the difficulties encountered during the process and provides a set of recommendations that need to be taken into account by decision-making authorities, as well as developers, professionals, and various actors involved in territorial development and control in Albania. The recommendations also highlight the importance of certain steps that need to be undertaken by the aforementioned groups, in order to enable the implementation of the land management instruments, as enabled by the legal provisions currently applicable in Albania.

Also, the recommendations are closely related to the: the comprehension and absorption of the new terminology introduced by the new law, no. 10119; land management instruments (such Right to Develop Transfer); the important role of LGUs as lead negotiators in the drafting process of the Local Detailed Plans; the financial aspect of the applicability of the local details instruments (mainly provision of public infrastructure) as well as property related issues, as one of the main inputs in land development.

You can read or download the publication by clicking here.

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