Borovje Residents Resist 600-Unit Housing Plan on Last Green Space

Residents of the Borovje neighborhood in Zagreb are fiercely opposing a city plan to construct around 600 affordable housing units on their last remaining green space. The proposed development, dubbed "a neighborhood within a neighborhood," is slated for a seven-hectare area and includes 11 new residential buildings, a public park, playgrounds, and a sports field. This plan is based on an urban planning competition held two decades ago.

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How do you intend to 'cram' 1,700 new residents into an already overcrowded settlement? Why are you taking away the last green oasis, the lungs of our neighborhood? Are you aware that the new residents will create additional chaos on the roads with their cars?

The project has ignited anger and disbelief among the local population. They argue that the city's claim of providing 16 square meters of green space per inhabitant is misleading. This figure, they contend, only accounts for new residents, ignoring the existing population of over 5,000. Factoring in the 1,700 new inhabitants, the available green space would plummet to a "criminal" 2.6 square meters per person.

Adding to their frustration are concerns about infrastructure. The plan allocates only one parking space per new apartment, encouraging public transport use. Residents, however, point to the current parking scarcity and extreme traffic congestion, with some waiting up to 45 minutes to exit the neighborhood. They question how the city intends to accommodate an additional 1,700 residents and their vehicles without exacerbating these problems.

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Let's start with the fact that completely inaccurate information is being used. The City says the plan provides about 16 square meters of green space per inhabitant. That figure clearly refers only to new residents, and the City does not take into account that this meadow is intended for all of us living in Borovje.

During a public hearing, the atmosphere was charged with emotion. Residents reacted with laughter and boos to explanations from city officials, including Deputy Mayor Luka Korlaet, regarding the parking situation and the project's reliance on outdated plans. The residents are demanding that the city reconsider the development, suggesting alternatives like a park, cultural center, or sports hall instead of more buildings.

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It is already an impossible mission to find a free parking space in the neighborhood. Regardless of it being affordable housing, this is not enough parking spaces. The problem is also entering and exiting the neighborhood for drivers. It already takes up to 45 minutes to leave Borovje, it will only get worse.