Legal Conditions and Theoretical Basis for the Arrangement of Water-Based Areas in Polish Cities

A series of diversified factors affect the arrangement of water-based areas in Poland. One of the most important elements are planning documents, such as the Act on Planning and Spatial Development, Water Law, or the Environmental Protection Law. These and other documents regulate the mutual relations between natural and cultural conditions as well as urbanized areas. At the same time, they affect the ability to conduct new investments in water areas – including those requiring the revitalization of post-industrial areas. The intense development in the last thirty years has meant that currently industrial facilities are in the city centre area. Authorities of many cities are trying to solve this problem, but it requires the application of not only interdisciplinary solutions, but also the establishment of large economic resources, without which it is impossible to restore the use of these areas. The adequate protection of the city against the effects of floods is an important issue related to the development of the water areas in the city. In this respect, there is a tendency to use expensive and ineffective methods of securing investment zones. The possibilities of water retention in flood control reservoirs are nearly five times smaller in Poland than in most other European countries. The scarce examples of polders show that this is one of the most effective methods of preventing damage caused by floods in urban areas. Such reservoirs are simultaneously valuable natural areas. In many intensively developing cities around the world, the generally accepted action is to strive to use the quays to create the signatures of cities. These places are designed to become an interesting space that people want to visit and which they want to use. Important city functions are located there, which are easily accessible due to public transport. However, it should be noted that in these spaces, their users have close contact with water. The current legal status and general public awareness (sometimes also of the city authorities) make it seem necessary to pay more attention to the comprehensive approach to the revitalization of vast water-based areas. It is important to integrate neighbouring functions and the way and quality of the arrangement of the whole area, and not just its fragment. The changes taking place in legal documents make the administrative path related to the transformation of water-based areas excessively complicated. However, it would be beneficial to specify the provisions of local spatial development plans and the general increase in coverage of plans of urban areas. The use of foreign standards seems to be valuable, where the revitalization of even vast areas is carried out in accordance with the precise assumptions. Such activities allow for creating interdisciplinary solutions, integrating numerous elements, which often leads to obtaining the synergy.