161 million kuna for brownfield investments in the Zagreb urban agglomeration

In order to revitalize brownfield locations in the wider Zagreb area, the Ministry of Regional Development plans to secure 161 million kuna in non-repayable funds. Cities and municipalities that have suitable locations on their territory, which can be repurposed and arranged for economically viable investment or for the needs of the local community, can expect grants ranging from 3.5 to a maximum of 50 million kuna.

The call from the Ministry of Regional Development and the European Union Funds is still in the public consultation process. The published draft of the Call states that non-repayable funds can be used for up to 85 percent of the total eligible project costs and that they are not considered state aid.

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Eligible activities that can be financed with non-repayable funds include the preparation of project-technical documentation and studies, including obtaining all necessary permits, all construction procedures during the site renovation, soil decontamination, removal or reconstruction of buildings, infrastructure construction, and project management.

The wider Zagreb area, according to the draft Call, refers to the so-called Zagreb urban agglomeration, which includes the following units of local self-government: Zagreb, Svetu Nedelju, Zaprešić, Samobor, Velika Gorica, Stupnik, Zabok, Dugo Selo, Stubičke Toplice, Brdovec, Pušću, Jastrebarsko, Oroslavje, Bistru, Mariju Goricu, Klinča Sela, Donju Stubicu, Sveti Ivan Zelinu, Luku, Jakovlje, Mariju Bistricu, Veliko Trgovišće, Pisarovinu, Kravarsko, Rugvicu, Brckovljani, Dubravicu, Gornju Stubicu, Orle, and Pokupsko.

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Projects that can be applied for must have started no earlier than January 1, 2014, with a planned completion by no later than December 31, 2020, and must not be physically or financially completed at the time of submitting the project proposal.

On the e-Consultation portal, where state bodies consult on their document proposals via the internet, there are already some comments. The City of Jastrebarsko, sharing its experiences from about twenty such projects, warned of the still unclear status of cultural heritage sites, the lack of criteria for ranking submitted projects, and the proposal that each local self-government unit can apply for an unlimited number of projects.

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It is expected that the finalized Call for project proposals for the revitalization of brownfield locations in the Zagreb urban agglomeration will be published by the end of June this year.