Incorporating informal construction : urban planning in Belgrade, Serbia and proposals for changes

In rapidly urbanizing world, with more than half of the human population living in cities, informal construction is growing by the rate that is equal, or even exceeds, that of the planned growth of urban areas. Except a number of developed countries, in the rest of the world it is a dominant way of urban development. The existence of large urban centres creates the condition for appearance of informal construction. Therefore, it is a very urban phenomenon, undividable form urbanization. It is an alternative way of urbanization. However, planning as it is practiced today is not able to explain, recognize or accommodate this phenomenon, thus pushing it away and declaring it `illegal'. It is obvious that something must be changed in planning, since the half of the urban population is currently outside its horizon _ their needs, demands and practices are not accommodated in the planning system. The approach that would recognize this alternative way of urban growth _ alternative because of the current rules of the game, but equal by numbers _ should be introduced in planning in the developing countries in order to overcome a bizarre situation in which almost half of the world urban population is outside the system. This research focuses on informal construction in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. According to unofficial estimations, 1/3 of the housing stock of the city is illegally constructed. This paper makes a review of global knowledge on informal construction and existing approaches towards the problem, and in parallel an overview of global trends in planning theory. Further in the research, the types of informal construction are made, according to different needs that are their driving force. The overview of Yugoslav and Serbian planning practices _ planning rationality, models and systems _ are described, with a focus on current planning in Belgrade. Different planning models are related to different types of informal construction, in order to show the direct relation between these two. Research also uses data obtained through interviews with eminent Serbian experts from the areas related to urban management, and summarizes their proposals for necessary changes in the planning system. The information from the interviews is compared with the literature review. In the final part, paper offers an alternative to current planning that would enable a different approach towards informal construction (and urban development in general) _ different rationality _ and changes in the planning model (planning doctrine) accordingly. The possible future changes in the planning system _ institutional arrangements, territorial organization and regulatory framework _ are briefly described, as one possible result of changes in the model, and not as an absolute solution. The conclusion is that approach to the planning should be changed, in order to make any systematic, sustainable change possible. Keywords: informal construction, planning models, typology, proposals for changes, Belgrade