A list of problems occurring in the old downtown centre of Plock, particularly in the Old Town, was long, including among others:

Due to the predominating housing and services function of this area and the lack of its attractiveness, the Old Town became an area of low economic dynamism. That made impossible its revitalisation financed only by private investors. Another important problem was lack of complex approach to this district revitalisation. That is why some revalorisation activities executed in the Plock’s Old Town in 80-ties of XX c. didn’t prevent a long-term degradation process.

In 80-ties of XX c. some revalorisation activities of Plock Old Town were executed. They consisted of the renovation of some historical buildings and archaeological research financed with the National Budget funds. But these activities were too chaotic to prevent a long-term degradation process.

In the 90-ties of XX c. a Study of spatial development was developed, stressing the necessity of historical and cultural city heritage protection, particularly its historical Old Town, as well as the improvement of the inhabitants living conditions.

In 1996, City Hall representatives, acquainted with Polish and foreign examples of old cities districts revitalisation methods used in Western European cities and started to co-operate with Andreas Billert, a German sociologist and town-planner.

Covered area:

The area of old downtown centre (62 ha), particularly the Old Town (located within middle-aged defence walls) was very deprived. In the 90-ties of XX c. a study of spatial development was developed, stressing the necessity of historical and cultural city heritage protection, particularly its historical Old Town, as well as the improvement of the inhabitants living conditions.

Simultaneous social research “Plock Inhabitants About The City And Its Problems” carried out in 1996, confirmed that the Old Town was perceived as a crucial and tangible element of local identity and prospective place for living.

The project’s aim was to redesign the spatial structure of the Old Square to preserve, to highlight the historical monuments as well as its architectural and urban look whilst giving back its old function as a centre of commercial, cultural and tourist activities.

Investments on the Old Square realised by the Municipality of Plock contributed to a change of the Square’s image and growth of its attractiveness for inhabitants and tourists who come there for a walk or meetings and for private investors what has resulted in many investments run there in following years. Renovations of tenement houses on the Old Square has had a very positive impact on enhancement of living and running business conditions there.

Since the beginning of 80-ties of XX c. the City of Plock has undertaken some revalorisation activities of the Old Town. They were planed and executed one by one, without any complex action plan and without taking into account social issues, i.e. renovation of particular historical buildings, archaeological research financed with the National Budget funds. Such an approach proved to be too chaotic to prevent a long-term degradation process of the whole urban district.

Factors that prove the project may be seen as an integrated project:

In what form and to what extent are private investors financially involved in the urban planning strategies in the deprived area? Please specify the institutional cooperation between the different actors in the project.

In 1997 the Municipal Agency for the Old Town Revitalisation was created as a municipal budget entity. In 1998 it was transformed into a municipal company – the Old Town Revitalisation Agency Ltd. (OTRA) Its mission was to develop and realise revitalisation undertakings financed with public funds as well as initiating and accompanying private revitalisation initiatives to ensure their consistence with the revitalisation strategy and public interest.

As part of its activity, OTRA realised projects in part of the Old Town – i.e. major renovation and adaptation of tenement house on Old Square number 17, completion of the general renovation process on the building at the Square number 13 (used as both a residential and service). It is working on other projects.

In the autumn of 1996 the City Hall announced a competition for the spatial redesigning of the Square. The competition was accompanied with a promotion and consultation action carried out among Plock inhabitants. Five chosen projects were presented to its inhabitants. Their opinions were taken into consideration in the winning project.

The main focus was on physical measures.

It contributed to a change of the Square’s image and growth of its attractiveness. The Square has become a place where Old Town and City inhabitants go for walks, meet. Improvement of the public space quality also resulted in the growth of tourism in this part of the City. More tourists coming to the Old Town contributed to the development of economic activity (information centre, rooms for rent, cafes etc).
The Old Town, particularly the area around the Old Square has become more attractive to investors, this has resulted in many investments run there in following years.

Renovation of tenement houses on the Old Square has had a very positive impact on enhancement of living and running business conditions there.

Yes, they do. The main objective of the Old Square renovation was to enhance the attractiveness of the Old Town. More and more people coming on the Square, many investments run there in following years prove the success of the City’s approach.

The most important factor contributing to the project’s success was the complex approach to the Old Town revitalisation, including historical and cultural city heritage protection, improvement of the inhabitants living conditions, enhancement of economic attractiveness of the Old Town, developed in the Study of spatial development.

The project may be seen as very successful, both from social and municipal economy point of view. If the City had have at its disposal more financial means, it could have accelerated and broadened the revitalisation process but within the budget the City had that time, the approach was optimal.

The biggest group of beneficiaries are inhabitants of the renovated residential houses and of the City who spend their time at the Old Square, entrepreneurs who run their business there, the Municipality of Plock

Revitalization of Plock Old Square (Stary Rynek) was finances by the Municipality of Plock. Its total cost was 217.696,84 PLN, in which:

There was no EU financial involvement in the practice, but the City of Plock used know-how of EU cities

Oddział Planowania Strategicznego i Przestrzennego (Strategy and Spatial Planning Departament)
Luiza Łukasiak, tel. +48 24 367 14 56

//1997

case

Urban Policy

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