The Challenges of Planning in the Field of Cultural Heritage in Serbia

Serbia is characterized by rich cultural heritage and cultural diversity, as well as a developed system of protecting cultural property. The current trend is that of a constant increase in the number of registered cultural properties under protection. Urban settlements in Serbia are characterized by specific typological characteristics and recognizable architectural typologies that are valuable architectural heritage as well as an urban identity factor. Together, protected cultural property and architectural heritage belong to a wider concept of urban heritage in the sense that it is understood in modern charters on the protection of cultural heritage (HUL). The primary starting point of the paper is that the law and plans in Serbia must become more sensitive to the context. In addition to protecting registered property, the protection of buildings and other objects that are not cultural heritage should also be introduced. However, current planning practice in Serbia does not sufficiently recognize cultural heritage in the wider sense of urban heritage, nor does it affirm it as an important resource for sustainable development. By analyzing the planning context, the problems and challenges in terms of institutional, legal and governance frameworks, as well as planning methodologies, can be identified. The paper is a contribution to the contextual analysis within the National Strategy for the Sustainable and Integral Urban Development of Serbia (currently developing within wider team of experts), with the aim of affirming the cultural potential of Serbia and incorporating the topic of cultural heritage as a resource for sustainable development into Serbia’s development programs and projects