Rome is at the center of a discussion that will profoundly impact its urban future. In the Giulio Cesare chamber, these days, issues of great importance for the 2008 General Town Plan (PRG) are being addressed, with three days of debate that could redefine the face of the city.
There are key issues on the table ranging from the protection of residentiality in the historic center to the regulation of short-term rentals, up to changes of intended use, real estate mergers and new rules regarding the historical heritage and hydrogeological risk.
The proposed changes divide opinions: on the one hand there is the need to modernize the city, on the other the fear of distorting its identity, with potentially devastating impacts on historic fabrics, public services and environmental sustainability.
Advertisement – Advertising
The protection of residential housing and the regulation of short-term rentals
One of the central themes of the discussion on the new Technical Implementation Regulations of the PRG is the protection of residentiality in the historic center of Rome. The regulation of short rentals it is seen as a necessary solution to counteract the desertification of the historic districts, caused by the exponential increase in accommodation intended for temporary tourism.
This phenomenon has transformed residential areas into almost exclusively tourist areas, depriving them of their residential function and social liveliness.
On the political front, there seems to be a broad consensus on the urgency of intervening to protect the city’s housing fabric. However, it is important that these measures are accompanied by broader planning, capable of guaranteeing a balance between the economic needs of tourism and the right of citizens to live in functional and livable neighbourhoods.
Advertisement – Advertising
Changes of intended use: opportunity or risk for Rome?
Another crucial issue in the debate concerns changes of intended use, made easier by the new technical standards approved in June 2023. This aspect, while on the one hand it can encourage greater flexibility in the use of buildings, on the other hand raises concerns for the impact on the urban planning load and on the quality of life in the neighborhoods involved.
According to urban planner Barbara Pizzo, the lack of rigorous control over such transformations could upset the balance between residential, commercial and public functions. In a context already characterized by deficiencies in services, such as parking, schools and green areas, unplanned changes risk worsening the difficulties.
Entire quadrants of Rome could be transformed, causing depopulation or, on the contrary, an excessive concentration of certain activities in some areas.
The issue of changes in intended use therefore poses a crucial question: how to ensure that these transformations are governed in such a way as to respond to the real needs of the population, without compromising urban sustainability?
Advertisement – Advertising
The protection of historical heritage: safeguard or risk of compromise?
In the heart of Rome, the debate over new technical standards raises questions about the protection of historical heritage. One of the most discussed practices is that of internal demolitions of medieval or Renaissance buildings, leaving only the facades intact. Although these operations are common in other countries, such as Germany, for Rome they represent a risk of irreversible erasure of historical memory.
The association “Rome searches Rome” and several urban planners underline that the capital’s heritage is not only made up of individual buildings, but also of the spatial relationships between them, which constitute the very fabric of the city.
The proposed rules, which would allow interventions that are too invasive, risk dismembering historic building complexes and altering centuries-old balances between empty and full spaces, between public and private spaces. This could distort Rome’s identity, transforming it into an increasingly less authentic city and increasingly suited to the logic of commercial exploitation.
Advertisement – Advertising
Shopping centers and hypertourism: the risk for the historic center
The proposed changes to the Technical Implementation Regulations could pave the way for significant transformations in the historic center of Rome, encouraging the proliferation of shopping centers and fast food outlets.
Associations like Carteinregola they warn of the risks of urbanization oriented towards hyper-tourism, which could accelerate the progressive depopulation of central areas and alter their functional balance.
Among the most critical points is the possibility of mergers between adjacent real estate units, with sales areas of up to 500 m2, double the current limit. This change, although presented as a response to growing tourist demand, could compromise the liveability of historic districts, replacing local activities with large-scale commercial structures.
Advertisement – Advertising
Hydrogeological risk and interventions on the Tiber hydrographic network
A final critical point of the debate concerns the changes introduced for interventions in the areas adjacent to the Tiber hydrographic network. The new technical standards provide for the possibility of creating infrastructures such as roads, squares, car parks and cycle/pedestrian paths near the river banks, extending the intervention area up to a band 10 meters behind the walls.
According to Carteinregola, this proposal paves the way for potentially dangerous interventions in areas at risk of flooding. The lack of rigorous limitations could aggravate problems related to hydrogeological risk, increasing the city’s vulnerabilities in the face of extreme climate events.
