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“Medinas 2030” Workshop Sustainable Development in the Medina Marseille 24-25 April 2012

Key messages The workshop “Sustainable Development in the Medina” was first of 2 technical workshops foreseen for 2012 in the context of the “Medinas 2030” Initiative.

The workshops aim to: - promote awareness amongst stakeholders of the need to rehabilitate medinas - support work done by other IFIs and practitioners - disseminate good practices - complement research carried out under the “Medinas 2030” Pre-Operational Study There were around 70 participants from all 6 Partner Countries (Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon) and Europe. Five sessions in total were held over 1.5 days addressing the themes of urban planning, housing, accessibility, cultural heritage, local economic development. This amounted to 22 interventions and presentations in total, as well as 4 technical papers which were written for the occasion.

The main discussions over the course of the workshop reiterated the importance of adopting an integrated approach to the regeneration of medinas, looking particularly at housing and accessibility. The fabric of the medina should be conserved as far as possible to protect the cultural and urban heritage but projects should equally avoid the “museumification” of the medina and ensure its liveability and functionality. Drivers of development could be diversified and modernised beyond a tourism-based economy, although this will remain an important activity.

Additionally, the importance of solid project preparation was highlighted and the creation of a network for exchanging experiences could be beneficial. Continued international support and cooperation, in terms of financing (loans, grants, PPPs etc..) but also technical assistance is equally a key factor and there is potential for further coordination between organisations.

A second workshop, which will focus on the regulatory and legal framework, and project implementation and financing, is foreseen for autumn 2012. Further information to follow in the future.

Conclusions The workshop on “Sustainable development in the Medina” was the first of 2 technical workshops foreseen for 2012 in the context of the “Medinas 2030” Initiative. The objective of these workshops, associating IFIs and practitioners, is to accompany the development of the work presently being carried out by the institutions supporting the initiative (the EIB, AFD, Caisse de Dépôts, GIZ and the World Bank) and to contribute to the dissemination of good practice. The workshop was attended by over 60 participants from the national ministries and local municipalities of the Mediterranean Partner Countries, as well as representatives from IFIs and international organisations and other urban experts, demonstrating, once again, the high interest in the Initiative.

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The workshop aimed to complement the research being carried out under the PreOperational Study which commenced in March 2012. This study aims to identify regeneration operations in the partner countries as well as adapt financial instruments to support their implementation. As such, the workshop addressed themes which are considered to be key components in the revitalisation of old city areas in the Mediterranean region (encompassing planning aspects, housing, accessibility, local economic development, employment generation etc..). Cross-cutting issues, such as the institutional and legal framework, project management and the financing of regeneration projects, were inevitably raised and discussed but will be the focus of the second workshop foreseen for autumn 2012. The members of the consultancy team animated the different sessions and the presentations and discussions will guide them in their identification of bankable and quality medina regeneration projects founded on implementable and efficient approaches.

The workshop was comprised of five sessions covering technical, economic, social and environmental aspects. The variety and complexity of these issues led to a preliminary conclusion: the long-term survival of medinas’ urban heritage requires a holistic approach, and the particular complexity of the dynamics in these historic cores requires an integrated approach to the planning of these neighbourhoods. Contrary to the orthodox approach, often based on “zoning”, a plan for the medina must not only address heritage preservation but equally appreciate that the medina is a “living heritage”. As such, projects require flexibility in their regulation and implementation to make them suitable to the particular social and economic dynamics of their locale.

There was overall agreement that there is not a unique set of actions for medina regeneration. However, some key issues within the various themes require particular attention: Housing: Residential density is the most critical indicator for long-term survival of the prevailing urban tissue in the medina. While an ideal density interval is not easily definable, it is important to maintain a minimum occupancy and simultaneously avoid over-crowding (e.g. around 1000 inhabitants per ha, which is observed in some medinas). This is because both degradation of the buildings and an excessive number of vacant houses - even if well maintained by foreigners - poses a risk of social desertification and the creation of ghost neighbourhoods. Housing policy should therefore aim at fostering a socio-economically balanced residential structure in the medina and should incentivise active usage of built capital.

To be able to take effective action on housing in the medina there are some crucial points that should be examined: a) the updating (or establishment) of a detailed cadastre, including the definition of a mechanism to clarify entitlements; b) the availability of legislation and regulation on property rentals that incentivises the renovation of these estates (e.g. including some financing scheme aimed at encouraging renovations); c) the ensuring of a fair and implementable expropriation legislation.

Accessibility: The provision of accessibility is critical in supporting economic activities in the medina and in ensuring a sufficient quality of life by providing access to services, jobs and social activities. Therefore, accessibility measures should be central to any integrated plan. Moreover, accessibility in the medina cannot be tackled in isolation and should therefore be part of the global mobility plan for the city, providing the linkage between the medina and the rest of the city. The identification of the concrete components of the accessibility plan will be dependant on the typology of the old city centre. For instance, the strategy would need to be adapted in cases where the medina is walled, as opposed to medinas that are already integrated into the street network of the ‘modern’ city. Some transformations may be necessary in the urban tissue to meet optimum levels of accessibility and to foster the ‘liveability’ of the medinas – for example, access to goods and services, and provision of parking. However, these transformations should strive to maintain a balance between the provision of basic

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accessibility and conserving the essence of the medina’s fabric. Since internal mobility is a commonly faced issue across the region, good practices on the treatment of pedestrians, motorcycles and service vehicles could be shared.

Economic activities: Tourism is one of the strongest development channels for medinas. Additionally, new technologies and associated ways of living could convert the medina into a modern “slow city” with high social and environmental quality. It was agreed, however, that without action, the decaying trend would continue, gradually destroying the valuable urban heritage in the process. It is possible that any action (such as tourism-oriented activities, IT-based businesses and even public services that improve conditions in medinas) has the risk of leading to gentrification. However, this change in the social composition of residents is not incontrovertibly negative as, arguably, the trend is necessary to ensure a social mix in the urban fabric.

Heritage value: The value of a medina is, potentially, much higher than its present face value as real estate given the rich historical heritage it houses. A critical amount of investment, framed with an integrated plan for the efficient regeneration of the whole medina area, could therefore create value well above the money invested. The main factor enabling this multiplying effect is the historic heritage that will attract new residents and visitors. The preservation of heritage can therefore be the driver of the medina regeneration. However, both planners and managers should recognize in their 1 preservation plans that the medina is a living heritage and its “museumfication” must be avoided. At the micro scale, engaging the opinions of those affected by the regeneration operation at the early stages of project design is critical.

These key aspects of regeneration projects reinforce the need for integrated planning which will take account of the inherent value of the urban heritage. At present though, there is a lack of adapted methods for urban regeneration projects - particularly for those involving heritage.

The “Medinas 2030” initiative will aim to contribute to filling this void.

It was equally discussed that the cost of regeneration projects is higher than new construction (while the exact magnitude is unknown, costs could be at least 25% higher). As such, economic and financial aspects must play an intrinsic role in both the planning and implementation of regeneration projects. As such, demonstrably good and sustainable project preparation and implementation is essential to grasp the interest of decision-makers and investors. Particularly this should involve: -

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the participation of the local population at the early stages of the project, and, in particular, of the medinas’ residents; a competent promoter capable of mobilising a solid team of professionals (including engineers, architects, economists, sociologists, environmental experts and heritage experts); the fulfilment of education gaps both at the basic level (increasing awareness among local residents of the value of heritage) and at the specialist level (apprenticeships in traditional crafts and architecture from artisans and specialised architects to ensure that specialised skills are not lost).

Therefore, while adequate administrative structures are important, it is equally important to ensure strong leadership, clear understanding of the local context and key issues and, commitment by local stakeholders.

To unlock the potential value of the medina, public funds alongside private investments are needed. They may eventually be recovered through the activity generated (notably on property, tourism, sales taxes), but a minimum threshold of investment is needed and the

1 The term “museumfication” is used to refer to the preserving of the physical assets of the medina in such a way that the medina is effectively turned into a museum with no productive activities or active place in the modern city.

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private sector will expect a clear commitment by public authorities before investing in projects that are undoubtedly risky. Adapted financial mechanisms that could potentially support medina regeneration will be analysed during the next workshop.

The support of town associations, international financing institutions (IFIs), and political bodies such as the Union for the Mediterranean and the European Commission, is essential both to encourage decision-makers in prioritising medina regeneration, and to support project development (e.g. by allocating funds and providing technical assistance). One message is already clear though: only well-prepared projects are candidates to obtain international funding. Good project preparation, including public participation in the planning process, is ordinarily a condition of such support and projects are required to demonstrate their overall quality through a proper technical, economic and social analysis.

As such, the set-up of a network for knowledge sharing could help promote solid project preparation – and existing town associations are an effective platform for such exchanges.

For example, European experiences in the regeneration of old city centres could offer a set of good practices that could be adapted to the Mediterranean countries. Moreover, experiences from the Mediterranean region in recent decades offer an important input in the preparation of integrated strategies for future actions. For this reason, the first workshop highlighted some experiences both in the Maghreb and the Mashrek areas, as well as the pilot study carried out by the EIB in Meknès in the framework of the “Medinas 2030” Initiative. However, it should nevertheless be noted, as a caveat, that transferability is not automatic, and, indeed, may not necessarily be possible. Hence, while knowledge sharing should be encouraged, promoters will need to carefully analyse whether possible solutions are suitable to their specific context first.

The first workshop, therefore, reasserted the need for an integrative approach to medina regeneration, in creating dialogue between local stakeholders and in highlighting key themes and outstanding issues. As demonstrated by the experience in Hebron, the lack of a common approach and poor coordination between IFIs can lead to excessive demands placed on promoters and generate inefficiencies. This is a topic which needs to be addressed by the various IFIs and collaboration in an initiative such as “Medinas 2030” may offer the opportunity for cooperation and synergies.

As mentioned, cross-cutting issues such as project management, the institutional framework and financing were briefly discussed. A dedicated second workshop is foreseen for autumn 2012. Further details on the workshop will be circulated once available. Additionally, wider scale seminars on topics such as “Digital Cities” and “Sustainable Tourism” are under consideration given their importance to medinas. Discussions with the Commission and relevant organisations will be initiated. Information will be circulated when possible.

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