New Jerusalem Outline Plan predicts 950,000 residents in 2020

The new Jerusalem Regional Outline Plan is now underway, after the National Planning and Building Commission appeals committee completed its handling of all outstanding issues. The new Regional Outline Plan replaces the plan from 1977. The new Outline Plan predicts that Jerusalem will have 950,000 residents by 2020.

In April, the National Planning and Building Commission approved the plan for deposit and recommended a series of supplementary measures for strengthening Jerusalem. These included cancelling the Safdie Plan for the western approaches to the city and replacing it with land zoning within the municipal boundaries; suspending for now the western and southern ring road; forbidding tourist lodgings in the Metropolitan Park; designating Har Eitan as a national park; strengthening the Jerusalem district�s open spaces; and establishing clear planning criteria for expanding communities in the district.

The new Jerusalem Regional Outline Plan stresses the need to preserve the city�s standing as Israel�s capital, and proposes measures for improving the city�s image both among its residents and Israel�s citizens in general, consolidating the city�s economic underpinnings, ameliorating conflicts between the city�s different populations, and strengthening higher education and cultural institutions to attract residents.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on July 29, 2007