Έγραψα στα αγγλικά ένα σημείωμα για τη βιομηχανική ζώνη.
Είπα να το ανεβάσω κι εδώ. Το μπλογκ το διαβάζουν αρκετοί (Έλληνες προφανώς) από Αμερική και Αυστραλία και ίσως το βρουν ενδιαφέρον να διαβάσουν κάτι για τη χώρα τους στα αγγλικά. Επίσης μπορεί να ενδιαφέρει και κάποιους φίλους σαν άσκηση. Τυχόν διορθώσεις ευχαρίστως δεκτές, επιθυμητές.
Ακολουθούν το άρθρο και φωτογραφίες της περιοχής.
The problems in Redevelopment of the
former Industrial Area
Mainly in Drapetsona, but also in the
wider Piraeus, by the late 1980’s, the request for a redevelopment was formalized.
It concerned a 640 hectares of the industrial area. Until then, the factories
of fertilizers (Lipasmata), Cement (AGET) and petroleum (BP and MOBIL)
worked normally infecting and contaminating the soil, the sea, the air and,
especially, the nearby living people's lives. The exchange was the offer of
jobs in the factories, valuable enough after the disaster of 1922 and that of 1940-45. In
the 1990’s the vision of a redevelopment of the area by turning from industrial zone to real estate and wide green park won even at institutional level. In 1997 the ORSA
(Organization for the Athens Urban Plan) decided a reformation according to the
existing legislation. These laws provided a) accessions to the city plan with
building coefficient 0.4, b) uses of urban centre and c) contributions to earth
and money around 50-60%. All these provisions ensured far-reaching green and
infrastructure. To build a part of the area (about 20-30%) with building
coefficient 0.4 was the fee for the grant of land by the owners. The new owners
were: the National Bank og Greece for «Lipasmata» 250 hectares, the Lafarge for
AGET 120 hectares, and Melissanidis Group for both BP and Mobil 100 hectares).
In 2003 the Fertilizer factory almost razed but the beach and the areas have never
been attributed to residents who remained stranded off the coast. Meanwhile the
whole plan for town redevelopment by using the building coefficient 0.4 (which also
provided a 400 acres green Park) became unworkable due to the collapse of the
property market after 2011.
In 2012 the municipality «invaded» a part of the beach
and opened up access for residents. The municipality is still there with the silent
"tolerance" of the OLP (Port Organization) considered as the owner of
a coast zone of about 80-100 meters depth. At the same time plans for creating
rink formula-1 are promoted. They look to be quite imposiible as far as they require
800 millions to 1 billion Euro to construct the track, in addition to about 500
million Euro for its operation. It was a communication trick without chance of
success from the first moment it appeared. Because of this idea precious time,
for the Municipality and the State to proceed with the renovation before the
crisis, was spent in vain.
After 2012, however we are moving backwards in comparison
with the acquired status. The worst of all were the Government's decisions to
decide industry between land uses and change the building coefficient institutionalizing
0.6 instead of 0.4. With these decisions, what we have won the 90’s and claimed
(with organ studies, decisions, demonstrations etc.) goes back posthaste. OLP (the
Port Organization) acquiesces in this direction following its own plans. The dream
of a substantial upgrade turns to a nightmare. The ghosts of the past are
waking up and residents mobilized again.
The new municipal authority of Drapetsona-Keratsini
declared strong resistance to the Government's plans. The City Council has already
appealed to the Supreme Court for annulment of ministerial decisions about the
uses and building rates. New initiatives, set up by residents and associations,
are organizing protests. The commotion that pervades Drapetsona and Keratsini
shows that the backsliding of the State will find people ready to defend their
right to a better environment and a more promising tomorrow.
