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Transylvania workshop Laslea, Romania, 30 Aug - 7 Sept 2003 English  ¦   Romana

Laslea Masterplan

The preliminary masterplan for Laslea.   Larger image (2400kb)

Masterplan - key proposals

The Masterplan then produced by the participants included the following key proposals:

Landscapes

  • A village landscape protection zone should be extended to the forest edge.   This should take two forms: covering the built up village and the surrounding landscape.  Together these should encompass streetscapes, houses, barns, vegetable gardens, and farming land.

  • A biodiversity corridor and linear park should be developed along the river system.

  • The remnant pedestrian path network including along the river system and on back alleys should be redeveloped and new paths built - as shown on the masterplan - with all paths simply marked and mapped to promote walking tourism.

Houses and streets

  • There are a number of households without shelter or suffering from very poor housing conditions.   Assistance and training should be given to those in housing need to meet their housing requirements.   The Masterplan shows proposals for new housing areas in northern and southern areas of the village.

  • Traditional housing typologies should be protected and maintained by use of traditional materials and renovation techniques.

  • Houses which are not yet connected to gas, electricity and water should be connected as soon as possible.

  • Traditional streetscapes should be protected and enhanced through street tree planting and measures to slow traffic to encourage use by all especially children.

Services and facilities

  • Low impact ecological drainage and sewage systems should be instituted.

  • Common service trenching should be used when introducing these improvements.

  • Public baths should be developed close to the dispensary.

  • A youth centre should be developed at the cinema next to the Caminul Cultural.

  • New bridges for pedestrians should be developed at a number of points shown on the Masterplan.

  • Petrol pumps should be located in a low key way at the centre of the village.

Nodes of activity

  • Existing nodes of activity within the village which are supported by walkable catchments should be supported and reinforced by new activities as appropriate.

  • A market with simple stall structures should be developed near the key intersection of Saxon St and Romanian St close to river, bufet and general stores.

Urban Infill

  • Three main sites exist within the village that are suitable for mixed-use development in which the balance between housing and other uses will vary as appropriate. These are sites to the west, east and north shown on the masterplan - suitable for mixed use of housing, business and industry.

  • The vacant site on Saxon St should be developed as a civic building acting to maintain the traditional building line and providing vista termination from Romanian Street.

Urban expansion

  • The policy is to develop within the village before developing outside the built up area.   Any new development areas should be contiguous with existing development.

  • It is assumed that any urban expansion will be phased.   Three areas have been identified for sustainable urban extensions and are shown on the Masterplan.     These are on the northern edge of the village, the southern edge behind the mill and in the longer term the area between the two rivers.

Local Enterprise

  • Ecotourism projects including guesthouses and micro-farms should be supported and encouraged within the existing urban fabric.

  • A guesthouse should be developed at the priest’s house as part of a network of guest accommodation based in former priests’ houses in adjoining villages.

  • An equestrian centre should be developed on the southern outskirts of the village.

  • The mill’s continued operation should be supported.

  • A centre for building construction information and skills training should be developed in a central location within the village.

  • A tourism information centre should be located at the general store.

  • An internet facility/cafe could be developed at the library, a cafe or other suitable location.

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