Tourist Complex ‘Croatian Dream’ Falls Through

The Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning and Construction, Marina Matulović-Dropulić, stated today for Lider during her visit to Ogulin that the Ministry of Environment, Spatial Planning and Construction cannot grant the Dubrovnik-Neretva County approval for the expansion of the tourist zone by an additional 45 hectares at the location ‘Three Sisters’ for the tourist complex ‘Croatian Dream’.

The reason for this decision is the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction, which prevents further širenje tourist zones in planning documents until at least 80% of the planned and already reserved zones are developed. Since the investor at this location wants to build the tourist complex ‘Croatian Dream’ on at least 45, and not 30 hectares for which the Ministry could grant approval, Minister Marina Matulović Dropulić said that in this specific case there is still a possibility for approval for 45 hectares, but that must be arranged by the County. – The County Assembly, in agreement with municipalities and cities, would have to reduce the difference of 15 hectares in other zones, of which there are about šezdeset, even if by half or one hectare in about ten of them. Or abolish one zone of fifteen hectares and reallocate it in spatial planning documents, said Minister Matulović-Dropulić.

Since 2004, by Regulation, and later by the Law on Spatial Planning and Construction, regional and local self-government units have been prevented from expanding areas for tourist zones in spatial plans without bringing already reserved areas to their planned purpose. Thus, the Dubrovnik-Neretva County cannot, the minister believes, since it already has about 60 tourist zones, expand new zones until the old ones are brought to completion of about 80% of the areas provided for in the spatial plan. – Whether it will abolish some zone or reduce the area of existing ones is the job of the County, not the Ministry’s job. The Ministry’s job is to control the implementation of the law on spatial planning and construction and to protect the coastal area of the sea.

If the investment did not relate to the area one thousand meters from the sea coast, it would not have been declared a Protected Coastal Area (ZOP) and the County would not need the Ministry’s approval. However, since it is, it is up to us not to grant approval until the County resolves the issue by providing us with a proposal for a spatial plan in accordance with the law, added Minister Matulović-Dropulić. In this specific case, and for construction on 30 hectares, the investor will have to ensure that the number of beds does not exceed 120 per hectare, meaning a maximum of 3,600 beds, and on 45 hectares it could, according to the minister’s interpretation, reach a maximum of 5,400 beds. (Mladen Volarić)