Relevance of vulnerability analysis and environmental premises for comprehensive planning

Abstract

Consideration and coordination of all the interests that emerge in the process of spatial planning usually result in a number of conflicts. This is, among other issues, a consequence of rigid protective sectorial guidelines and the absence of comprehensive planning. It is, however, possible to avoid this by assuring proper spatial information and a coordinated process of spatial planning and strategic environmental assessment that comes with it. This article derives from the assumption that the presentation of spatial status and sectorial guidelines, both obligatory by law for the preparation and assessment of plans in spatial planning, make this possible in a limited way, and it therefore makes sense to use analytic spatial planning tools as well. The practicability of the results gained by the vulnerability analysis and the possibility of creating strategic environmental premises preparation has been verified on the environmental protection background documents for the Municipality of Piran Spatial plan. The results show that vulnerability analysis, in comparison to presentation of spatial status, gives a better idea of more or less sensitive areas as well as its individual components and thus allows more room for manoeuvring the coordination of interests and for a more objective assessment of impacts on the environment. The analysis makes it possible to upgrade the protection guidelines of the sectors by preparing conceptually clearer direction for the protection and development of individual environmental components and by preparing comprehensive environmental premises that enable us to be more effective and sustainable in comprehensive spatial planning