THE GENERAL LOCAL PLAN OF DROPULL

The Context

The Municipality of Dropull is located in the South–Eastern cross border area between Albania and Greece. With a surface of 467km2, Dropull is organized in 3 sub-units (Dropull i Sipërm, Dropull i Poshtëm and Pogon), and it’s home to nearly 7,128 inhabitants of Albanian and Greek minorities.

With a total of 41 villages, the Municipality of Dropull doesn’t have an urban center, but its inhabitants and economic activities are distributed among the different villages. With very rich landscape potentials, and divided in two main parts - along the valley of Drinos River and in the mountains of Nëmërçka and Bureto - Dropull is characterized by diverse landscape typologies, is rich in cultural heritage, and its economy is mainly based on agricultural and farming activities.

On the other hand, some of the biggest business districts in the country are located and operate along the main national road, which passes right through it. Nevertheless, depopulation due to migration is one of the main challenges for the Municipality of Dropull, threatening both its existence and the decaying of its various manmade artifacts, but also natural potentials.

Team Project with POLIS University

Client: Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy and the Municipality of Dropull, Albania

Role: Project Manager and Spatial Planning Expert (2019, Dropull, Albania)

About The Project

Given the rural character and the potentials that come with it, the lack of integrated development and reference landmarks (either in economic terms, administrative, or historical), the main Strategic Objective of the General Local Plan considers Dropull as a “linear network” with five main centers, which are developed in five of the main villages with distinct characteristics and development potentials. Such potentials could be used as energizers for the development of the surrounding areas (other villages, or natural sites).

The concept behind the “linear network” also reads Dropull as a link between the two main regional hubs, Gjirokastra (Albania) and Ioannina (Greece), aiming to transform Dropull, from mere transitioning area between two main cities, into a complementary node, which uses all its local potentials and regional competitiveness to develop as a whole, rather than concentrating development strategies and investment exclusively in one single area.

The Spatial Development Concept of Dropull in the Crossborder Macro-Region “Dropull as a strategic gate and a hub of rural development”

The Municipality of Dropull is seen as a hub of rural development, located between the two main regional centers of Gjirokastra (Albania) and Ioannina (Greece), and the Albanian Riviera. The main economic drive of the area is based on agriculture, farming, tourism and industry, which build upon the main local produce and integrate the local population in an integrated slow development network.

Dropull uses the potential of the crossborder macro-region in terms of infrastructure, economic activities, and flows of people, complementing the two main regional centers and the Ionian coast, by offering space and resources for a series of activities of rural character. Given the strategic location on the crossborder area with Greece, Dropull has the potential to play a pivotal role in providing space and opportunities for common events, which can be translated into capacity growth and economic gain for both regions.

Providing employment opportunities, better living conditions and a stronger sense of community are considered as tactics for a more prosperous environment, in order to stop out-migration and make the local population stay and integrate within Dropull and its surroundings.

Përgjatë rrugës kryesore

Tipologjit Hap Sinore Territoriale

Përgjatë rrugës kryesore

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore

Tipologjit Hap Sinore T Vendbanimeve

E degëzuar 1.

Organike 9.

E tarracuar rrezore 16.

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore

Larg nga rruga kryesore

Larg nga rruga kryesore

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore

I ndarë në dy njësi më vete

Spatial Typology Analysis

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore

Larg nga rruga kryesore

Lineare 2.

Organike e qendërsuar 10.

Satelitore e rrjetëzuar 17.

Lineare e tarracuar 3.

Organike e degëzuar 11.

Satelitore e shpërhapur 18.

Lineare organike 4.

Larg nga rruga kryesore

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore ndarë në dy njësi më vete

Lineare e rrjetëzuar 5.

E tarracuar 12.

Satelitore organike 19.

Lineare satelitore 6.

E tarracuar me degëzime 13.

Rrezore 20.

E tarracuar organike 14.

Rrezore organike 21.

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore ndarë në dy njësi më vete

Territorial Spatial Typologies, which describe the relation of each village with the surrounding territory (A to D).

Settlement Spatial Typologies, which describe the spatial structure of the settlement patterns on each village (1 to 22).

Lineare e degëzuar 7.

E rrjetëzuar 8.

E tarracuar satelitore 15.

Rrezore e degëzuar 22.

I zhvedosur nga rruga kryesore

I ndarë në dy njësi më vete

Thematic Maps

Habitat and Landscape Protection - Environmental Risk Management (image above)

Dropulli 2031 Spatial Development Vision (image on the right)

Vizioni Zhvillimit Hap Sinor

POLIÇAN

MALOR / AGROTURIZËM TURIZËM RELIGJION BIMË MEDICINALE

Gjirokast R

POLI DERVICIAN

PORTË HYRËSË / SHËRBIME TURIZËM RELIGJIOZ AGROTURIZËM BUJQËSI

POLI SOFRATIKË

ARKEOLOGJI BUJQËSI TURIZËM RELIGJION/ AGROTURIZËM

SARANDË

POLI JORGUCAT

ADMINISTRATË BUJQËSI QENDËR MULTIMODALE AGROTURIZËM INDUSTRI PËRPUNUESE

LIVADHJA/ SARANDË

PORTË HYRËSE SHËRBIME KËRKIM / BUJQËSI

KASTANIANI / IGOUMENITSA