Modelling the development of the Šibenik Urban Area (Croatia) according to the objectives of European green policies

The Regional Development Act of the Republic of Croatia introduced the concept of urban areas, which cover larger cities in Croatia together with their urbanized surroundings. Urban areas are set up for the purpose of more efficient planning, harmonisation and implementation of regional development policies, which are in line with the regional development policies of the European Union. Urban areas are beneficiaries of ITI mechanism funds, which aims to enhance territorial cohesion and strategic development of urban areas. Šibenik is a city with 34,000 inhabitants in whose urban area live approx. 50,000 people. Located on the coast of the Adriatic Sea, the urban area includes several smaller and less populated islands, a narrow urbanized and touristificated coastal zone and a vast but sparsely populated rural hinterland on karst terrain. During the 1990s, part of the area was hit by war destruction, and after the end of the war, the area was marked by a process of deindustrialization and a strong touristification. Demographic trends are favourable only in the narrower coastal zone around the city of Šibenik, which is the only area of the urban area of Šibenik where the population is growing at the moment. There is also a high construction of space. The island part and hinterland are experiencing demographic depression at the same time. As a result, some settlements are losing its social functions. The global COVID-19 pandemic, in which tourism was one of the most affected activities, is the right time to adopt new principles for the development of this area. The aim of this paper is to create an overview of the new comprehensive model of development of the Šibenik urban area, the foundation of which are the strategic principles of the European Green Deal, according to which this development will be directed to make the space more sustainable and resilient to risks and global fluctuations. The first part of the paper aims to explain the national and European approach to green urban renewal and the green transition towards a sustainable and resilient urban area. The second part of the paper briefly analyses the main components of the development of the urban area of Šibenik so far with the aim of identifying specific urban zones that need a strategic approach to future green development. This uses relevant quantitative data from statistical sources, as well as qualitative data collected from local development stakeholders through semi-structured interviews. The result of this analysis is the creation of strategic zones within the urban area, depending on the development potentials and challenges of the area. Based on these data, the scenario for the development of the urban area of Šibenik is defined, valorising the European strategic determinants of the European Green Deal. The focus is on the application of the green development principle defined by the EU, in particular on decarbonisation and circular space management, green infrastructure, as well as on the development of farm-to-fork agriculture and on blue development. In this way, a clear vision of the future development of the urban area of Šibenik is created, the consistent application of which should lead to demographic revitalization, economic diversification, as well as green, sustainable and resilient development of this urban area. The application of such a principle of research and strategic planning of space in strategic planning could be applicable for the development of similar areas, especially in the Mediterranean part of Europe.