pyrrhic victory
A similar situation has been going on for many years in Sołacz - the most prestigious and interesting villa district - near Solacki and Wodziczki parks. Both are part of one of Poznan's four "wedges of greenery" breaking into the city. In the 1930s, the wedges with a recreational and ventilating function were noticed, singled out and protected by the then city architect Wladyslaw Czarnecki. There were several assaults on this natural-planningheritage, but the case of Sołacz was one of the particularly notorious ones.
Interference with the green wedge in Sołacz
photo: Jakub Głaz
In 2010, community activists thwarted the development of plans to intensively replenish the district with new buildings. The victory turned out to be a Pyrrhic one. The plan was divided into four parts. To date, three have not been enacted. Only the built-up historic part is protected by the planning provisions. Where developers have their interest, plans are in the pipeline for the ninth year. At Wodziczki Park, taking advantage of the " vuzetki," developers have erected buildings deep into the precious green belt. The new massive houses almost bear no resemblance to the intimate German housing of the war era. Almost, because fortunately they do not exceed the heights of their neighbors, although even so - thanks to their flat roofs and sizable dimensions - they dominate the space. The plan for the area is in the final straight, but it will largely be limited to "patching up" what has already occurred. If it had been developed more quickly, the situation would look much better. The situation is similar next door, in the Jeżyce district. Work has been going on for eight years on a plan for the former industrial sites there. The plan is finally nearing completion. Only that construction of housing estates is already underway at its best.
no plan is also a plan
Adding to the tardiness and inadequacies in developing plans is the fact that there are many areas in the historic districts for which plans have not been called at all. Why? In both cases, officials always talk about finances and present calculations according to which enacting a plan or developing it according to art will force the city to pay multimillion-dollar compensation to landowners. Such very simple, even ad hoc, reasoning, however, does not take into account the long-term consequences of planning omissions. Building too tight and too high, lacking enclaves of greenery and sufficient public spaces will take years to take revenge. It also has little to do with the provisions of the city's development strategy talking about ensuring "a high quality of life within neighborhoods with their own unique character."
It is clear, then, that quite often the plan of Poznań's magistrate is not to have plans. In any case, as long as development based on zoning conditions does not begin to grow on strategic downtown areas. Only then can the effects of free Americanism, beneficial mainly to private investors, be sealed with a plan.
