Assignment of urban planning study for Central Municipality finally being signed
CORFU. The signing was delayed by almost two years, thus limiting the time for its implementation. However, it comes at perhaps the most critical moment, as urban planning issues are pressing for a solution.
The contract between the Technical Chamber of Greece (TEE) and the contractor consulting firm for the development of the Local Urban Plan is expected to be signed in the coming days. The study primarily focuses on land use and settlement boundaries. The project is funded by the Recovery Fund, with a completion horizon set for May 2026. This is a short timeframe for such a study in a town that has faced many challenges—let’s not forget that in the early 1990s, its urban area expanded fivefold under settlement regulations.
Now, the study is intertwined with pressing, ongoing issues, such as the completion of the airport bypass due to the imminent expropriation of part of the road north of the runway. More critically, it concerns the town’s bypass and the design of a peripheral ring road connecting the northern and southern highway axes without traffic passing through San Rocco Square.
The company Consortis was pre-selected as the provisional contractor for the study back in September 2023, and is now finally being called upon by TEE to sign the contract and begin work. In the process, an extremely valuable amount of time has been lost. The company's head, G. Tsakoumis, speaking to Enimerosi, stated that Consortis is already working on another project—the Special Urban Study for the town's historic centre, which has unique requirements due to its inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage list. This experience is particularly relevant for Corfu.
A key area of interest is mapping exactly where the historic centre meets the new town, as this zone presents land use and settlement issues that need resolution. Having the same firm conducting both studies may lead to a more efficient approach.
Immediately after the contract is signed, Consortis engineers will travel to Corfu to discuss proposals and collaborate with local institutions and stakeholders in order to document the study’s baseline data. This will be followed by formal proposals, which will be published in the Government Gazette starting from May 2026. However, the deadlines for Local Urban Plans are set for December 2025—unless, due to delays in the consultants’ appointment, as is the case in Corfu, some deadlines are extended.
GIORGOS KATSAITIS
Photo: konstantinoupolis.gr
