According to Vyacheslav Nehoda, First Deputy Minister of Regional Development, Construction, Housing and Communal Services, who took the floor at the 2^nd All-Ukrainian Forum of Amalgamated Hromadas, it is hardly possible to attract investments and develop hromada effectively, if the development strategy and plan do not rely on the urban planning documentation and special planning.

“We should understand that without urban planning documentation territory development is impossible. Here is an example. An international highway uniting Ukraine with Europe is being built. And suddenly it turns out that one section of the road on the Ukrainian territory abuts against a residential area. How could it happen that housing construction appeared there? Who should pay for the project modification? Such situations happen where there is no urban planning documentation, or it does not coincide with the strategic vision of the territory development,” said Vyacheslav Nehoda.

According to him, all hromadas, especially those amalgamated, that include several settlements, should understand the importance of spatial planning.

Vyacheslav Nehoda also reminded that this issue is not regulated by the legislation, because the jurisdiction of the amalgamated hromadas is still not extended to the territories outside settlements on some issues, including land, and amendments to the Law “On regulation of urban planning activities” are also not finalised. “Nevertheless, I am sure these changes will be adopted, and now it is necessary to start spatial planning work. Those who have already started this work, have already seen how many opportunities, or even dangers, were hidden on their territory,” said the First Deputy Minister.