Go-ahead for new Area Plan for Malpensa

On the suggestion of the Councillor for Territory and Town Planning, Davide Boni, the regional council has passed the resolution that, as stipulated by Regional Law No. 12, of 2004, starts the creation of an Area Plan, after the previous one expired last April.

The regional council decided to start creating the new plan, also following the instructions contained in the Regional Area Plan adopted by the regional council, which is still under examination by the council, before its final approval stage.

In its decision, the council also indicated the procedures for the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA). Mr Boni explained, “It is a concrete approach to ensure sustainable development, by assessing the overall coherence of choices, and by constantly monitoring the actions and effects resulting from the choices, which have inevitable consequences on the land.”

The regional Area Plans undergo environmental assessment to ensure that the changes to the land are carried out with a high level of protection for the environment. The SEA is made during the plan’s preparation phase, before it is adopted, or once the approval procedure has begun. Mr Boni stated, “In addition to being an important part of land planning, the Area Plan pays particular attention not only to the development of the airport system as a whole, but also to environmental issues.”

As in the case of other Area Plans (the River Po, the large Lombardy lakes, for example), the starting point for this is the Regional Land Plan, one objective of which is to provide indications for the Area Plans, intended as development projects shared by the Region, local and regional organisations. The councillor concluded, “This plan may also provide an opportunity to deal decisively with the situation of the existing real estate that the Lombardy Region has acquired over the years, which is currently being transferred to the councils of Somma Lombardo, Lonate Pozzolo and Ferno.”