**5. Initial Stage of the Conceptual Strategy and Management Model for the Regeneration and Protection of the Historic Center of Novi Pazar**

The initial stage of the conceptual strategy and management model for the regeneration and protection of the historic center of Novi Pazar is envisioned as the combination of strategic options for regeneration. Thus, the public sector might create favorable conditions regarding the capital investments and the provision of infrastructure and public spaces for private sector involvement, along with the functional diversification and regeneration of economic activities. Additionally, the public sector can provide economic incentives to obtain private sector participation. Furthermore, goals, objectives and actions in this strategy are proposed with the time needed for the implementation. After the initial elaboration of goals and objectives, the strategy is presented in the form of a table with all the stakeholders that should be involved, as well as the particular stage of their involvement.

Renovating the historic city center in a multifunctional way and turning it into a place brand where everyone wants to live and which tourists want to visit by increasing its attractiveness is at the core of a future integrated urban development strategy. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to guide actions in two directions. The first one is an aesthetic, spatial and functional improvement, through the reconstruction of individual objects in order to restore historical character, while the second direction is to provide support and create a favorable environment that will motivate the owners and potential users to renovate their objects and transform them into comfortable objects.

The challenges in achieving these goals are numerous. The quality of the housing currently does not meet contemporary needs. Most of the buildings located in the historic center, are built of cob, which is traditionally referred to as an adobe—*cerpiˇ ´ c*in the Serbian language—on a wooden skeletal structural system bondruk wall. This material is not weather-resistant enough, so frequent renovation of these walls is required. Additionally, a major problem is the lack of knowledge and skilled masons required for the reconstruction of these walls, since they have not been used for the construction of new buildings for many years. Furthermore, urban problems, reflected in the over-concentration of people and motor traffic on the 1st of May Street, places much pressure on the historic city center, as well as the construction of multi-story buildings near the historic center, which do not correspond to its cultural and historic identity, significance and character. Moreover, the urban quality of public spaces is deficient due to the enormous presence of parked cars and asphalt surface treatment, with the cobblestone underneath that was been used to pave streets in the past.

Although the city adopted a Plan of Detailed Regulation for the Historic Center, the plan envisions mainly the physical dimensions of heritage protection and regeneration, focusing only on regulatory instruments, while other aspects of the redevelopment are ignored, such as the economic and informational management instruments. Moreover, the city of Novi Pazar has not applied for heritage reconstruction projects in recent years on the open calls financed by the Ministry of Culture, since the city does not have an integral strategy in place to define the actions which ought to be implemented.

In essence, it is indisputable that the city should develop an integrated urban development strategy as soon as possible, in which the historic part of the city should be given a significant place. When designing the strategy, it is necessary to link all the goals of specific sectoral strategies that the city already has and propose a creative and contemporary way to solve the identified problems. Thereafter, it is necessary to adopt a local action plan for the implementation of the objectives defined in the strategy, using a participatory approach. All the future actions and small projects would involve citizens in some way in order to gain legitimacy and consensus for the implementation of those decisions.

In this respect, it is necessary to use numerous informational instruments in order to involve citizens in this project from the very beginning. Such participatory instruments would include door-to-door questionnaires with selected shop owners and households, online questionnaires, discussions, and meetings on workshop and roundtables with all relevant stakeholders, and through public consultations, in order to understand different users' various issues and their expectations of the particular place, value and identity of the historic center.

In a broader context, at the urban level of the city of Novi Pazar, it is necessary to update the current situation regarding the legal framework for protection, the issue of traffic and mobility in the city in general and in the historic city center, and the current conditions for the conservation of heritage buildings. Besides that, although it is still in the preparatory phase, it is necessary as soon as possible to enable the GIS system as a new digital platform in order to connect different data and information, which should include the current condition of the building conservation process within the historic city center. The use of different policy measures and instruments would prevent further deterioration of traditional buildings, while tighter control of land uses and activities would prevent the conflict of incompatible and unsuited uses in the historic city center. Poor quality in the design of new buildings needs to be improved and regulated using strict regulations for an adequate reinterpretation of traditional typologies, building construction and building materials. Additionally, an improved design of public spaces is expected to raise their quality and increase the attractiveness both of the historic city center and the wider territory, in order to reconstruct its image and create a recognizable place brand.

During the process of restoration of individual objects exposed to rapid decay, it is necessary to prevent further decay with various protection measures. Since the city does not have an accurate assessment of endangered vulnerable buildings, it is necessary to form an expert commission, which will enlist all the buildings in this zone and determine their condition. Based on these results, it is necessary to estimate the value and scope of work to be undertaken in order to protect these buildings from further deterioration. Furthermore, it is necessary to examine the energy performance and behavior of these buildings during seismic activity. A large number of buildings had improper interventions in the form of adding concrete elements; therefore, it is necessary to examine the impact of these reconstructions on the original structure. The city should, above all, using its public services and external expertise, examine the condition of local building materials and produce a brochure in the form of guidelines for the restoration of traditional buildings with an emphasis on environmental restoration and the increase of buildings' energy efficiency in this area.

The economic motivation for residents to renew their buildings is shallow, except on the 1st of May Street, in which lively trading activity leads to over-modernization. One way to increase the demand for historic buildings would be through increasing their energy performance. Another way would be to directly subsidize specific conservation works by the city. For example, the city of Novi Pazar—in cooperation with the Institute for the Protection of Monuments in Kraljevo, which has the jurisdiction for all the heritage buildings in this zone—could subsidize up to 70 percent of funds for the replacement of windows on the 1st of May Street. As an effect of this, the city could influence the design of new windows in order to restore the authentic appearance of the shops and increase the value of the entire protected area. Given that there is not a large amount of such buildings, it would not be a significant expenditure for local government in financial terms, while the benefits would be multiplied.

Regarding informational instruments, the need for expanding knowledge and awareness has to be considered crucial. The non-governmental sector, which is still in its development phase, should influence politicians to initiate a procedure for resolving the heritage problem. The strategy and the action plan should envision different activities and instruments, which should be targeted towards investors, architects, engineers, and technicians on the one hand, and towards all citizens on the other.

The city administration should facilitate and overcome numerous administrative procedures in order to reduce bureaucratic red tape and facilitate the issuance of building permits for construction activities. Since a large number of citizens and investors perceive the Institute for the Protection of Monuments in Kraljevo as an institution that slows down their intentions regarding building in the protected historic city center, the city of Novi Pazar should open a local office for the protection of monuments for the historic center. The task of the local office would be to organize meetings in order to increase co-operation between the institute for the protection, and urban planning departments, designers and other stakeholders. The mission of this office would be a significant contribution to overcoming problems and increasing understanding and trust between the institute and citizens. The work of this office could be aimed at increasing the availability of information to citizens and promoting the value of heritage. Furthermore, one of the resulting effects of this office would certainly be helping to coordinate activities when developing projects and seeking donor funding.
