Current Trends and Management of Urban Development in Lithuania

Abstract

The history of Lithuanian urban development is closely linked with the West European culture. In the recent socialist past of Lithuania, these links had weakened, while after the regaining Independence in 1990, Soviet territorial planning and management system lost its force. The new planning system came into force in 1995 after the adopting the Law on territory planning. New system was applied on the developing market and democracy conditions, why it is not fully developed till nowadays. The impact of a new planning system on the physical environment became obvious after 2004, when the economic growth and the possibility to use the EU funds started. The main engine of the development was construction of the housing, cheap debts provided by commercial banks and people hopefulness. The result of this time is seen in the new aesthetic urban forms, also in the appearance of monofunctional land-use, separate buildings without the infrastructure required and new life style in “sleeping districts”. Rapid development of green field on the suburbs participated in creation the real estate property bubble (2006 – 2008). Sustainable development is based on long-term vision, nevertheless, till the year 2009 not all municipalities had Master plans. The development was performed by detailed plans, where citizens or investors had their parcels and own vision. Due to the prolonged restitution and privatization process, city territories that were planned for multistory apartments development, had shown high land prices, burdens on infrastructure. It has brought Greenfield investments to the suburban areas. Suburbanization also was foreseen in the Master plans of municipalities, insufficiently motivated by developers to enhance the local economy. While the population was decreasing the huge need of land for new developmet had been planned. The spread of urban structures to the rural areas had raised the need and price of infrastructure and public services, it induced inhabitants dependence from own cars, enhanced environment pollution and consumption of energy resources. The sprawl is seen as more state or public, but not individual, interest. A house in the countryside is still Lithuanian’s ideal. People are happy living in surrounding of natural landscapes. European countries had turned to the suburbanization after the World War II. Current EU policy documents and the expert organizations the suburbanization are describing as „urban sprawl“ which does not meet the principles of sustainable development. Urban sprawl is a matter of consern, but only few cities (notably in Northern Europe) are coping well In Europoe. They have srong planning systems that are able to achieve contained growth without sprawl. The sprawl in cities of Eastern Europe iliustrate the developmet of “free for all” of 1990 and impact of transition from socialist to free-market economy with its effect on local economies, social patterns and planning system. The growth of suburbanization, when the local economy and population decline, in Lithuania had occurred not long ago, urban dictionaries do not include the precise equivalent for the term above. Local specialists call it as “urban chaos” or “spread of compact urban structures”, etc. The contributors think that management of cities and territorial planning system shall be based on more realistic social, economic forecasts and sustainable, coordinated urban & rural developmet polisy. The State and municipalities shall take legal, financial and support measures in order to manage and use effectively the inner territories of cities, existing public infrastructure and to stop the growth of energy consumption, use of own cars and environmet polution.