*Formulating Goals, Objectives and Instruments for the Strategic Planning and Management Model the Regeneration and Protection of the Historic Center of Novi Pazar*

The strategic planning and management model should be made for a period of 10 years, and it is desirable that it complies with the programming periods of the European Union (EU). Since this is a relatively long period, this plan should be used as a roadmap for achieving the goals defined in the strategy. Furthermore, it is of great importance that the local action plan remains open to revisions and improvements, in line with the challenges and perspectives of the present, thus addressing major urban, social, environmental, economic and governance challenges. Consequently, the main goals of the plan should be the following. One goal should be raising the awareness of municipal, private owners and citizens of the value of heritage, and the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process. Furthermore, the next goal should be the creation of a favorable environment that will stimulate the restoration and protection of traditional buildings for private owners in the historic center. Above all, improvement in the visual image, cultural and historical identity, significance, character and function of the entire historic center by renovating individual buildings, public spaces and inner courtyard private spaces should be the ultimate aim of the strategy.

When drafting the model, it is crucial to identify possible sources of funding. In addition to funds from the local and the national budget, it is important to initiate other direct financial mechanisms or in-kind instruments and credit financing mechanisms. An important source of funding could be European funds—for which Serbia has access to, as a country in the process of accession to the European Community—as well as various other dedicated funds, such as the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and others that support related activities. TIKA could be extremely interested since the urban matrix and individual cultural buildings in the historic center represent the valuable heritage of the Ottoman rule in these areas. Another financial source could be private donors, since many former residents of the Novi Pazar, Sandžak and the Raška region became wealthy citizens of the EU or Turkey and are willing to invest in and donate to the regeneration of the historic center.

*Strategic Goal 1—Improvement of the visual image, cultural and historical identity, significance, character and function of the entire historic center by renovating individual buildings, public spaces and inner courtyard private spaces (Table 1)*

The goal of improving the visual image could be achieved by organizing architectural competitions and other studies aimed at improving the urban and architectural quality of the place. Certainly, an important partner in achieving this goal, besides the city, could be the Department of Technical Sciences at the State University of Novi Pazar with its Architecture program. It is also advisable to include professional associations such as the Serbian Chamber of Engineers, Serbian Society of Architects, and the Society of Town Planners of Serbia. An important stakeholder in these processes should be the Institute for the Protection of Monuments from Kraljevo, which eventually needs to accept the proposed solutions.

Important actions should be focused on finding a solution to remove the road traffic from the 1st of May Street and to calm down the traffic in the whole protection zone of the historic center in order to achieve this goal. This has to be done in cooperation with the Institute for Urban Planning and Development Agency of Novi Pazar. The achievement of this goal likely requires the development of a citywide traffic study. An important issue for the management of parking areas should be to find locations for the construction of underground and surface parking garages on the outskirts of the historic city center. Fulfilling this task would reduce traffic in the protected zone and increase the area intended for pedestrians and cyclists, while also solving the problem of parking for the whole city. Additionally, one of the objectives and actions for improving the image and the identity of the historical part of the city should be focused on the aesthetic harmonization of modern buildings constructed after World War II—which are not in line with the spirit of the historic center—with the typical and traditional buildings. Moreover, many new buildings do not have any thermal envelope. By launching energy efficiency projects, many buildings could obtain a new thermal facade or another environmentally friendly cover, such as green and composite eco-materials. This would significantly alter the appearance of historic buildings and address the environmental problem.

**Table 1.** Strategic Goal 1: improvement of the visual image, cultural and historical identity, significance, character and function of the entire historic center by renovating individual buildings, public spaces and inner courtyard private spaces.


Furthermore, designating land uses compatible with and suitable for the historic center is an important task to improve the overall image of the historic urban landscape. It is certainly necessary to develop a study in collaboration with all relevant stakeholders in order to revise the existing legal framework of the Plan of Detailed Regulation, which regulates this area in order to preserve the multifunctional character and mixed uses of the historic center. Although the functional diversification of new land uses and activities along with existing uses might be a viable option, an important issue should be to control activities that are not prohibited but are not socially acceptable, compatible with, or suitable for the historic center. In recent years, numerous bookmakers and casinos obsessing over the most valuable sites close to the historical monuments are not exempted from this. Additional instruments in the form of regulatory and fiscal disincentives by the local government are needed, that should ban casinos in the cultural and historical part of the city because it sends a bad impression of the value of the heritage. The plan should provide subsidies to traditional crafts workers and their shops, which once inhabited this part of the city, as they are compatible land uses. Currently, these traditional crafts workers are almost completely gone as there is no economic interest for them anymore and they cannot withstand the high price of rent for their shops. Functional regeneration as a method of running existing uses more efficiently and profitably might be the best option.

*Strategic Goal 2—Creation of favorable conditions that will stimulate the restoration and protection of traditional buildings for private owners in the historic center (Table 2)*


**Table 2.** Strategic Goal 2: creation of a favorable environment that will stimulate the restoration and protection of traditional buildings for private owners in the historic center.

Actions aimed at improving the energy performance of historic buildings would increase the economic value of the buildings themselves and, henceforth, the whole area. Since the number of these buildings is not very large, funds from donor programs for the implementation of this action could be found relatively easily. The renovation and adaptive reuse of historic buildings costs more, than improving the energy performance of contemporary buildings. This discrepancy in the cost of the works could be covered by donor funds or public budget cash flows, and represents a key motivation and financial instrument for private owners to initiate the process of refurbishment and adaptive reuse of their shops and their buildings. Above all, it is imperative to promote the refurbishment and adaptive reuse of traditional buildings that are not under a direct protection regime in this process but represent an essential element of the vernacular architecture and character of the protected cultural and historical landscape. However, there has been a process during recent years of the demolition of these traditional, yet important buildings and the construction of new ones, which all look the same, without any elements of the vernacular and contextual style and architecture. The view of many international organizations is that it is crucial to preserve those traditional buildings in their original form and style. This can be achieved only by developing a stimulating and favorable environment where it will be economically viable for the facility to be renovated before it is demolished and rebuilt.

Moreover, to achieve this goal it is very important to obtain the technical support of heritage regeneration specialists, which can be achieved by organizing thematic workshops and training centers. The creation of a digital platform with recommendations and examples of good practice can make a big difference in that respect. Creating promotional materials in digital and hard copy with technical, financial and administrative information is also very important, as well as producing guidelines for the restoration and adaptive reuse of traditional buildings. Indeed, the implementation of this project requires the commitment of the city government, which can facilitate and speed up procedures for obtaining building permits, in the process of the renovation of shops and buildings for citizens and investors.

*Strategic Goal 3—raising awareness of municipal, private owners and citizens about the value of heritage, and the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process (Table 3)*


**Table 3.** Strategic Goal 3: raising awareness of municipal, private owners and citizens about the value of heritage, and the involvement of citizens in the decision-making process.

Raising awareness about the value of cultural and architectural heritage should be directed to all citizens and all age groups. When implementing these programs, it is important to identify and involve all relevant actors, both when drawing up these plans and later in their implementation.

Furthermore, to achieve this goal it is of utmost importance to use a variety of participatory techniques, such as workshops, roundtables, and public consultations, that would all serve as a platform for establishing a dialogue among various stakeholders and their interests. If practiced in this particular way, the process can eventually gain legitimacy and, in the end, secure the commitment of various stakeholders.

### **6. Conclusions**

The existing model of planning and management of historic urban landscapes in Serbia does not contribute to the adequate preservation of the architectural heritage and does not correspond with the interests of local development. Numerous examples have shown that existing plans are inflexible, inefficient and unrealistic when concerning the requirements for the development of historic urban landscapes. Although this area is regulated by a whole set of development and planning decisions, the example presented in this paper, of the case of Novi Pazar, shows several functional, economic, social and ambient problems, and aspects of obsolescence, that these areas face. The physical changes that take place in these areas often do not match their historical character, thus the result is degradation, obsolescence, devastation or the creation of a so-called quasi-cultural heritage. Although some formal shifts have been made in the structure and content of various aspects of urban plans in recent years, there is still no positive step towards the protection and development of historic urban landscapes in Serbia.

All things considered, the research reveals that the most important goals of urban regeneration, protection and the development of historic urban landscapes are related to the potential for economic development, improved quality of life for residents and tourists, and the conservation of built and cultural heritage while promoting cultural and historical identity.

Given these points, it is important to underline that, although particular urban revitalization plans and projects have to be adapted to specific contexts and situations, in order to be successful and represent a benchmark for other places they should include the following objectives and instruments:


Monitoring and evaluation of the selected actions is necessary throughout the implementation phase in order to obtain an efficient and effective process. Therefore, it is necessary to form a criteria and indicators for the success of the realization in order to facilitate the monitoring and the accomplishment of tasks. Depending on the necessary time, resources and complexity of procedures, the ranking of the measures given could be easy, medium, and challenging. This process is essential to make recommendations for the design of future models in order to interlink strategic planning and development with historical urban landscapes.

In this respect, a useful innovative instrument for the governance of the urban regeneration projects—particularly the economic appraisal within projects that could be used in a public–private partnership—is the experimental model of the "economic feasibility project for the development of unused public buildings" called SOSTEC [44]. Besides the fact that the model provides an economic evaluation of the real estate adaptive re-use projects—including criteria to assess costs and revenues for better insight into economic sustainability—equally important is that the model allows for the involvement of local stakeholders' knowledge and points of view about the ongoing or implemented programs. These previously mentioned points of the model characteristics —in our view—provide possibilities for tailor-made solutions at the local level of governance. This model and approach could be a very useful instrument both during the conception of the strategic and action plan, as well as during the implementation phases for monitoring and reevaluation.

Besides the conceptual strategic planning and management model for the regeneration of historic urban landscapes, based on a methodology for the sustainable appraisal of the historic environment [45], measuring and evaluating culture's contribution to regeneration [5], the model for measuring the sustainability level of historic urban quarters [27] and our own research, the paper develops spatial, economic, and social goals, indicators and effects of regeneration strategies of historic city center, presented in Table 4.


**Table 4.** Spatial, economic, and social goals, sustainability indicators and effects of regeneration strategies of historic city centers.

<sup>1</sup> 8+1 dimensions of quality of life [46].

Some lessons and recommendations could be drawn here based on the research presented in this paper, which could influence the implementation of an integrative approach to the protection and planning of cultural heritage in the frame of urban development and regeneration. However, an important prerequisite for such an integrative approach is the improvement of the institutional, legal and management framework and strategic planning methodology. Lessons and recommendations are as follows:


The strategic model for planning the protection and the development of historic urban landscapes is presented in this paper as an adequate planning model, which can represent an effective model for the implementation of a cultural heritage protection strategy in a sustainable way in the light of constant changes, crises, and uncertainties. The paper presents this planning model as a step forward from the conventional planning model, and in doing so, can respond to global and local, social, political and economic changes, aligning the needs and interests of a wide range of actors and stakeholders with realistic development opportunities.

It has been suggested [47] that heritage protection can learn from strategic planning by using various participatory instruments to include different actors' interests according to the contemporary community's needs, thus serving the public good. Their research also underlines the proper combination of various economic, social, and environmental instruments for achieving sustainable, comprehensive visions of development.

In order to secure long-lasting, sustainable and comprehensive visions of development, a condition is to have the significant relevant stakeholders engagement throughout the process, which "can bring new belief in the community that their specific places could be successfully branded and planned based on cohesive spatial visions" [40].

We conclude by giving theoretical and practical remarks from our research: integrated conceptual strategic urban planning model should consider the logic and the functioning of the competitive real estate markets on the one hand, and sustainable environmental, economic and social effects, as well as the potentials and benefits for the locality where they originate on the other hand, in order to be utilized as the new generative value both for the protection and for the revival of historic city centers.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization, E.M. and U.R.; Funding acquisition, E.M. and U.R.; Investigation, E.M., U.R. and D.B.; Methodology, E.M., U.R. and D.B.; Visualization, E.M. and U.R.; Writing—original draft, E.M. and U.R.; Writing—review and editing, E.M., U.R. and D.B. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This research was funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia, under the Grant number TR 36035 "Spatial, Environmental, Energy and Social Aspects of Development of Settlements and Climate Change".

**Acknowledgments:** This paper is partially the result of the ongoing doctoral research by Esad Muminovi´c, and partially the result of the research within the TR 36035 "Spatial, Environmental, Energy and Social Aspects of Development of Settlements and Climate Change" by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia conducted by Uroš Radosavljevi´c.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest.
