The Taming of the Shrew: Coping with Illegal Settlements in Belgrade, Serbia

摘要

One of the most important aspects of sustainable planning today is sustainable land use and managing city growth. Urban sprawls, regardless of reasons causing their spread, are considered as one of the biggest problems in the development of cities in developing countries. Belgrade has been and is witnessing a wide spread illegal housing and settlements in its suburban areas during a long period. This paper will explore the genesis and growth of illegal settlements in Serbian capital, with the aim to present the specificity of informal housing areas, to give general recommendations for its improvement and to offer a possible approach for taming its further growth. Starting points are the analysis, typology, spatial distribution and overall impact of illegal housing settlements in Belgrade territory on one hand, while on the other hand the theoretical background, related to the sustainable urban growth and sustainable urban land use will be presented. Furthermore, the paper refers to the methodological framework given as the choice of aspects that should be treated in the process of integration of illegal settlements, while regulatory framework will point out the issues related to the shaping of settlements as liveable places. Conclusion remarks will emphasize the benefits and constraints of the chosen path for the integration process.