Palermo, Italy
City population: 653586
Duration: 2011 – ongoing
Implementation status: Ongoing
Scale: Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Natural Heritage Area/Untouched nature, Cultural Heritage Area, Other
Last updated: October 2021

This intervention is part of a broader masterplan regarding harbours and seacoast in Palermo, with a specific focus on the Cala coastal area. The waterfront has importance for the city not just as a harbour, but for its relational, cultural and recreational functions as well. In particular, the Molo Trapezoidale can become the new “water district” in which compatible port functions will be integrated with the existing urban functions and the new residential areas, as well as the new cultural and recreational services with new infrastructures linked with natural features such as green areas and trees. (Ref.1.)

Photo 1
http://www1.unipa.it/mcarta/PIAU/piau_pa.html

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Grey infrastructure featuring greens
  • Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
  • Blue infrastructure
  • Coastlines

Key challenges

  • Coastal resilience and marine protection (SDG 14)
  • Coastal protection / hazard mitigation
  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
  • Tourism support
  • Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
  • Preservation of natural heritage
  • Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Coastal landscape management or protection

Project objectives

The goals of the intervention are to mainly improve the accessibility and functionality of the coastal area and the harbour area. The city wants to enhance its port functions and integrate them with urban services, residences and local area services; whose objective is to provide a natural space which links the city with the coast (Ref.1).

Implementation activities

In order to reach the above-mentioned goals, the city is willing to improve the area surrounding the coast by providing small green areas and trees plantation. Those will help to create new points of meeting in the area and improve economic activities (Ref.2.)

Main beneficiaries

  • Local government/Municipality
  • Citizens or community groups

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
  • Co-management/Joint management

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Ministry of the Infrastructure at national level financed the project, with the active partnership of the City Government which sets the guidelines and regulation for the intervention, while the Port Authority and the Italian railway company collaborated in the provision of land. The partnership between the Ministry of Infrastructure, the municipality and the Port Authority operates for all interventions regarding the coastal area. The University of Palermo contributed with a scientific study on this case (Ref.1&2)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Unknown
... a national policy or strategy? Yes (The regeneration project for the waterfront is part of a wider innovative program entitled “Ports&Stations”, implemented and financed by the Ministry of the Infrastructure (Ref.1.))
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (At local level the strategy derives from the municipal "Master Plan", which operates as “manifesto” for the requalification of urban waterfronts and for the consideration of the city and the practice of design (Ref.1.))

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Public national budget

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of land
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Environmental quality
  • Improved air quality
  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Attraction of business and investment

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved social cohesion

Type of reported impacts

Expected impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

Yes

Presence of indicators used in reporting

Yes

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

Ref.1. Maurizio Carta (2008). Plan Waterfront Palermo. University of Palermo. Palermo: pp. 1-6 (Attached document)
Ref.2. Perticau (2004). PROGETTO DI SISTEMAZIONE DEL WATERFRONT DI PALERMO. Available at Source link (Accessed 13-10-2020)
Ref.3. Biennale spazio pubblico (2011). Il progetto per il Waterfront Centrale di Palermo come motore di rigenerazione urbana. Available at Source link (Accessed 13-10-2020)
Photo 2
http://www1.unipa.it/mcarta/PIAU/piau_pa.html
Area view
http://www1.unipa.it/mcarta/PIAU/piau_pa.html