Digitisation of spatial planning acts

We have designed the amendment with the aim to accelerate the investment and construction process. This will be made possible by utilising the contemporary digital methods. So far, there were no digital spatial planning databases which would present information regarding the planning arrangements on the national scale in a uniform, precise and reliable manner. That fact made it difficult to access the information on the planned land use, and thus consequently has hindered the development of the investment process. That is why we are introducing new solutions which will enable the public dissemination of land plans using geoinformation technologies (GIS). In that manner, we take an important step towards the dissemination of spatial data sets regarding the land planning acts - explains the Minister of Economic Development Jadwiga Emilewicz.

She explains: - The new provisions included in the to the Planning and Spatial Development Act will allow easy on-line access to the spatial planning information to the citizens and entrepreneurs.  They will introduce the obligation to establish spatial data sets for all spatial planning acts and set out the minimum scope of the data. The obligation will also cover the acts which are already binding.  In order to carry out these tasks, the local self-governments will have the possibility to use the free and commonly accessible open-source software. In result, the less active local government will be more easily involved in the spatial planning digitisation process. Because of that, uniform datasets will be established in the country, containing information on the scopes of the spatial planning acts and the related documents.

Applying the new regulations will allow to obtain a complete and uniform information on the planning arrangements on a national scale. On the other hand, however, spatial data sets containing information regarding the reliable and up-to-date limits of the documents in force will enable the investors to efficiently determine the investment process path - based on the applicable local development plan or the decision on land development - stresses the Deputy Minister of Ecponomic Development Robert Nowicki.

The regulations we have prepared are going to introduce the legal basis for issuing a uniform standard on spatial planning databases on a national scale. That means organising the digitisation process of spatial planning documents - he points out.

Digital planning acts

The adopted solutions place an obligation on the bodies issuing the spatial planning acts (APP) to create digital spatial data. That means, that documents such as the voivodeship land use plan, spatial development conditions and directions for spatial development or the local zoning plan are all going to be available electronically as well. They will be collected in publicly accessible spatial data sets.

The Act introduces a minimum scope of digitisation obligation. It includes establishing the border of the APP as a vector along with APP drawing as raster graphic with spatial reference and a hyperlink to the document.

That solution will allow to obtain a complete and uniform information on the planning arrangements on a national scale. That solution will significantly facilitate access to the land use information for interested investors. Including the drawing of the planning document will provide information on the land use of the investment area and its surroundings which has an impact on the investor's decision with regards to choosing the location for the investment.

For our common benefit

The effect of the amendment will also include reducing the procedures for surveyors which will make their jobs significantly easier. Regardless whether it involves construction of a house, a road or a railway, investments will be faster for all.

The proposed regulations will also remove excessive restrictions, including the bureaucratic limits which currently exist in the process of surveying and cartographic works. The manner of charging surveyors for the documents required for their work is also going to be simplified. The regulations will also introduce the possibility to start surveying works at any time - they will have to be reported within 5 days.

Less formalities between the surveyors and the Poviat Starosty will make it possible to obtain the documents much faster. In result, the time required for the formalities will be reduced by two thirds - from 60 to 18 days on average. That means that the time required for each investment will be reduced.

What has created the need for the changes?

Until today, there was no standard applicable in Poland that would lay out the manner for creating digital planning data. That resulted in establishing non-uniform data including a varied, not necessarily consistent terminology. In consequence, it is difficult or - in some cases - impossible to join the data from different sources and to perform spatial analyses.

That solution will also facilitate and enable the timely execution of the Directive 2007/2/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 March 2007 establishing an Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community (INSPIRE) in the scope of spatial planning.

Entry into force

• The Act enters into force 3 months after its announcement, with the following exception:
• article 1 item 35 (c) first indent, which enters into force on January 1st, 2021;
• article 5, which enters into force after 6 months following the date of publication (the scope of spatial planning digitisation)