Government Presents Mtskheta Master Plan Group to the Population

March 27, 2019

Maya Tskitishvili, Vice-Premier, Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia, Mikheil Giorgadze, Deputy Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport of Georgia, Nikoloz Antidze, Director of the National Agency for Cultural Heritage Preservation, Giorgi Shengelia, Executive Director of the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia presented  “Akholis” Association  integrating 8 design companies to Mtskheta population, Authorized Representative of State in Mtskheta-Mtianti, Mayor of Mtskheta Municipality and other interested persons. Dimitri Khundadze, member of parliament from Mtskheta was also present at the meeting. 

Following the bidding conducted by the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia for development of Mtskheta master plan, the contract was awarded to  multidisciplinary group “Akholis” Association  integrating 8 design companies with  complete staff of sectoral specialists.
“Companies constituting the Association have extensive experience of developing spatial arrangement plans. Therefore, they  have sufficient knowledge and skills to deal with the project of such complexity, as Mtskheta master plan. For development of any spatial arrangement project, it is required to learn the needs of local population and today we have commenced this process.  Final aim of the project is cultural heritage  preservation and social-economic development of the town. In our opinion, it will be right the dialogue mode that will allow of successful completion of this process.” – declared Maya Tsktishvili.   
Bidding requirements were elaborated with involvement of Georgian specialists and    UNESCO representatives. Standards and tasks established by them, considering scope and complexity of the project, necessitated involvement of specialist of various experience, competence and specifics.     
“Akholis”  Association ha slready enetered into the contract, which provides for preparation of Mtskheta land use master plan, area development regulation plan, rules for use and development of territories and Mtskheta  urban development cadaster.    The master plan envisages arrangement of recreational and tourist zones,   wastewater and drainage systems and update of public transport systems.  
In 1994, historical monuments of Mtskheta were included in UNESCO World Cultural Heritage list, which determined international historical-cultural meaning of the town.   In order to avoid random and chaotic development of the town and preserve its historical-cultural value,  UNESCO is to actively cooperate with the Association and provide recommendations in stages.  
Mtskheta master plan development process is broken down to several stages.  Discussions with various institutions, populations and stakeholders are to be held periodically.
Project implementation process will be monitored by specially established interagency and professional advisory councils.  
Preparation of Mtskheta Spatial- Territorial Development Management Document is to be completed by the end of current year.
The “Akholis” Association is composed of the following partners: “Georgian Spatial Development Management Institute” Non-commercial Legal Entity, “New City Development” LTD, “Free Architects” LTD,  “Remote Sounding and Geoinformation System Consultancy Center Geographic” LTD, “Engineering Conception”   Non-commercial Legal Entity, “STS” LTD,  “Project Service” LTD, “JTG Studio” LTD.   
Association member organizations have extensive experience of large-scale project implementation,   inter alia including:  Elaboration of  area development regulation plan and rules for use and development of territories for  Gudauri, Ikaltos Khevi, Ushguli Community Villages, spatial-territorial planning for Nirortsminda and Shaori touris-recreational complex, Preparation of documentation for Khertvisi cultural landscape urban development, Development of Mtskheta historical monuments’ management plan, etc.