The Annaba Urban Planning and Construction Directorate recently presented a new directive plan for urban development between municipalities, which was open for review and public comment. The plan aims to rationalize land use, achieve public benefit, and provide aesthetic solutions for construction in strategic areas with high population density and commercial activity. The plan allows for increased floor numbers in these areas.
The directive plan for urban development, as stated by the Annaba Urban Planning Director, aims to provide solutions and a development plan up to 2040. This plan seeks to control urban expansion, alleviate congestion in major municipalities, and facilitate and accompany investment projects, particularly in the tourism sector. The plan provides tools for urban development to serve the development plan, respond to investor needs, and meet state and local authorities' requirements.
According to the head of the Urban Planning Committee in the Annaba People's Provincial Assembly, this plan addresses increasing urban, economic, and environmental challenges. It adopts a new approach that transcends narrow municipal administrative boundaries in favor of functional integration of five municipalities. The plan covers the municipalities of Annaba, El Bouni, Sidi Amar, El Hadjar, and Seraidi, which face significant urban growth.
The Urban Planning Committee's report highlights that the plan is not a static technical document for dividing areas but a directive tool for protecting agricultural land, forests, and the coastal strip. It aims to rationalize available land consumption and prioritize structural needs, particularly in road networks. The plan also aims to connect scattered residential areas to main urban centers to facilitate service delivery.
The plan's approval will enable the development of isolated areas, improve connections to mountainous regions and the coastal strip, and enhance the status of Seraidi municipality as a center for eco-tourism. The plan also allows for the classification of the Iedough region as a protected area within the national park. Additionally, it aims to connect scattered residential areas to main urban centers.
The Urban Planning Committee's report notes significant disparities in the geographical distribution of allocated land for future residential expansion. The total extracted area is approximately 2295.45 hectares, with a theoretical capacity of 206,163 housing units. El Bouni municipality has the largest share, with 1126.45 hectares allocated for over 112,645 housing units.
The committee emphasizes the need to accompany this expansion with infrastructure development, transportation networks, and public facilities. The report also highlights the need to update and refine statistical and urban data regularly to match the field reality and activate coordination and joint work between the five municipal councils. The Annaba People's Provincial Assembly has approved the initial 2027 budget, exceeding 2 billion and 324 million dinars.
