PROBLEMS OF SPATIAL PLANNING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE CONTEXT OF CONTEMPORARY CHALLENGES

Abstract

The article examines current issues of territorial planning and urban development in Ukraine under the conditions of large-scale socio-economic, demographic, and security challenges caused by the full-scale armed aggression and the need for post-war reconstruction of the country. The study considers the impact of military actions on the functioning of the territorial spatial development system, including the destruction of housing stock, critical infrastructure facilities, transport networks, and social institutions, as well as the consequences of mass internal displacement for the territorial organization of communities.

The main shortcomings of the existing urban planning regulatory system are analyzed, including the insufficient adaptability of the legal and regulatory framework to crisis conditions, the fragmented mechanisms for managing territorial recovery, limited financial resources, and the low level of integration of digital technologies into planning and spatial development management processes. Particular attention is paid to the issues of updating urban planning documentation, coordinating the activities of state authorities and local self-government bodies, and ensuring a balance between the need for rapid reconstruction and the principles of sustainable development.

The necessity of modernizing the territorial planning system through the improvement of legislative support, implementation of digital territorial management tools, development of geographic information systems (GIS), simplification of permitting procedures, and creation of new financial and economic mechanisms to support reconstruction is substantiated. Promising directions for integrating European standards of spatial planning and the principles of territorial cohesion into national territorial development management practices are identified.

Based on a synthesis of international experience in the reconstruction of post-conflict states, the article proposes a set of organizational, legal, institutional, and managerial measures aimed at improving the effectiveness of strategic spatial planning in Ukraine. It is demonstrated that successful territorial recovery requires not only the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure but also a comprehensive transformation of the public administration system, strengthened interagency coordination, increased public participation in decision-making processes, and the provision of long-term sustainability in territorial development. The implementation of the proposed approaches will contribute to the formation of a modern, safe, and competitive urban planning system capable of effectively responding to the challenges of both wartime and post-war periods.