Territorial holistic approaches in Gabrovo Municipality
Integrated Territorial Investment (ITI) is a tool that aims to make it easier to run territorial strategies that need funding from different sources. ITI also promotes a more local or ‘place-based’ form of policy making and can be used as both an instrument for promoting integrated actions for sustainable urban development, and as a tool for supporting integrated approaches in any other type of territory.
On January 16, 2024 representatives of the municipalities of Sevlievo, Dryanovo and Tryavna, Electric-supply company SEVER, Water and Sewage company, Chamber of Builders, Chamber of Engineers in Investment Design and SCIENTIA one of the major investors in the municipality of Gabrovo discussed the forthcoming cooperation of the municipalities related to the concepts for integrated territorial investments. Two of them had already passed the assessment for administrative compliance: "Gabrovo - a center of innovation, education and entrepreneurship" and "Regional tourist product 'Ancient heritage and modernity' of the municipalities of Tryavna, Dryanovo and Gabrovo". The investments are foreseen in the Plan for integrated development of Gabrovo municipality. The representatives of Electric-supply company SEVER, Water and Sewage company supported the idea for sharing the investment intentions at the beginning of the year. The Chairman of the local Chamber of Engineers Rumen Matev appealed the partnership with the municipality of Gabrovo to focus on digital transformation. He considers that at this stage and existing legislation allows to take the first step - to implement the service "issuing a building permit" electronically. Plamen Petrov - chairman of the Chamber of Builders - Gabrovo commented on the need to regulate a specialized landfill for construction waste, as well as the possibilities for separate waste collection. The partnership of the municipality of Gabrovo with Scientia AD will continue by promoting the potential of the software company, the newly built business center with unique open space offices for the city.
A Council for Sustainable Urban Development under the Mayor of the Municipality of Gabrovo will be established to support and discuss the development of concepts for Integrated Territorial Investments (ITI), as well as individual projects for urban development, which the Municipality of Gabrovo will propose to implement the Plan for Integrated development. The Council will monitor and evaluate the results of ITI and urban development projects. The problems and critical factors for planning and development on the territory will be mapped.