In Varese there are one third of the abandoned buildings in Lombardy. A heritage that needs to be recovered

In Varese Province there are 304 abandoned areas, which need to be recovered or are being recovered, among abandoned industrial, artisan, zootechnical, commercial and accommodating sites and 32 that have already been regenerated. These are areas that are classified, according to the most recent census and regional monitoring, as “Regeneration areas”, around 1,000 in the whole Lombardy.

“Regeneration,” explained Pietro Foroni, the council member for Territory and Civil Protection, “is a fundamental theme for the regional legislation, a challenge that is not just urban and construction, but intersects many other purposes. And on which the Lombardy Region, in collaboration with Milan-Monza Brianza-Lodi, Como, Lecco, Mantua and Varese Chambers of Commerce, started a series of meetings dedicated to technicians and stakeholders, which started yesterday in Milan and will continue, between April and June, in four other Lombard cities: Lecco (17 April), Varese (8 May), Como (5 June) and Mantua (25 June).”

The direction on the regeneration and containment of land consumption had already been indicated as a priority by the Region with the Law against the consumption of land, which was criticized by many for excessive timidity, but nevertheless an important starting point for rethinking the cities, the larger ones and also the provincial ones. “Recovering crumbling buildings is necessary to make our cities more beautiful, livable and safe, but also to take away space from neglect and crime,” underlined Foroni (in the photo: Italian railways workshops of Gallarate, which are disused since 1997).

The law against the consumption of land and the adaptation of the regional territorial plan were the first two steps. The next will be the law on urban regeneration, which will be ready by this summer, whose guidelines have already been presented in the Territory and Infrastructure Council Commission, with the aim of pursuing a path that is as shared as possible.

“Recovering the existing must become cheaper than building the new one,” affirmed the council member. “Therefore, the objective is to reverse the trend. A part of the law will be immediately preceptive, then we will try to calibrate measures and incentives on the basis of the needs of individual territories. Understanding the differences and using elasticity, by accepting the indications that come from local authorities, will be, in this sense, essential.”

IN DETAIL, THE MUNICIPALITIES WITH AREAS THAT ARE DISUSED AND NEED TO BE REGENERATED – Albizzate, Angera, Azzate, Bardello, Besano, Besnate, Besozzo, Bisuschio, Bodio Lomnago, Brebbia, Brenta, Buguggiate, Busto Arsizio, Cadrezzate, Cairate, Cantello, Cardano Al Campo, Carnago, Caronno Pertusella, Caronno Varesino, Casorate Sempione, Cassano Magnago, Castellanza, Castelseprio, Castiglione Olona, Castronno, Cavaria Con Premezzo, Cazzago Brabbia, Cittiglio, Cocquio-Trevisago, Comabbio, Cugliate-Fabiasco, Cuveglio, Dumenza, Fagnano Olona, Ferno, Ferrera Di Varese, Gallarate, Gavirate, Gemonio, Gerenzano, Germignaga, Golasecca, Gorla Maggiore, Gorla Minore, Gornate Olona, Induno Olona, Ispra, Jerago con Orago, Laveno
Mombello, Lonate Ceppino, Lonate Pozzolo, Lozza, Luino, Luvinate, Malnate, Marnate, Mercallo, Mesenzana, Morazzone, Mornago, Oggiona Con Santo Stefano, Origgio, Osmate, Porto Valtravaglia, Rancio Valcuvia, Ranco, Samarate, Saronno, Sesto
Calende, Solbiate Arno, Solbiate Olona, Somma Lombardo, Sumirago, Taino, Tradate, Travedona Monate, Uboldo, Valganna, Varese, Vedano Olona, Venegono Inferiore, Vergiate, and Vizzola Ticino.