€7m allocated for green urban projects in Rijeka and Kastav

Hina - Construction and Physical Planning Minister Branko Bačić on Monday awarded funding agreements worth around €7 million for three green urban infrastructure projects in Rijeka and Kastav.

He also informed local officials in Primorje-Gorski Kotar County about the Affordable Housing Act and the implementation of the National Housing Policy Plan.

Rijeka received two grants. The first, worth around €3 million, will finance the reconstruction and upgrade of the Kantrida-Preluk promenade, including new recreational and supporting facilities on both sides of the route.

A further €2.3 million was allocated for the redevelopment of the Preluk coastal recreation area, covering nearly 14,000 square metres. The project will transform the site into a green and sustainable zone through landscaping, the planting of native species and climate adaptation measures. It will include an amphitheatre, sports area and children’s playground with outdoor gym equipment, linked by pedestrian paths and green corridors.

Kastav’s project, ”Development of Green Infrastructure in Kastav”, is worth around €1.7 million and will create a network of five urban nodes connected by four corridors, plus an additional standalone node.

During his visit, Bačić met local mayors and county representatives, saying the recently adopted Affordable Housing Act - in force for two months - together with the National Housing Policy Plan, was intended to address housing affordability challenges in cooperation with local authorities.

He said Croatia faced a shortage of around 236,000 housing units, despite having about 2.3 million dwellings. Of these, around 960,000 are not used for housing, including roughly 600,000 vacant properties and a further 360,000 used for business activities or short-term commercial rental, he said.

In Primorje-Gorski Kotar County alone, there are around 208,000 housing units, of which nearly 44,000 are vacant, the minister said.

He added that around 1,300 apartments were currently being built under various programmes, while more than €32.8 million had been paid out in tax refunds to around 4,500 young people. A further 960 properties have been registered under the affordable rental scheme, alongside 1,315 tenant applications.

The minister said 350 state-owned housing units were being renovated, primarily for protected tenants, with additional measures planned.

He also announced plans to convert a long-vacant 15-storey former Croatian Railways building in Rijeka into micro-apartments for affordable housing, with reconstruction expected to begin next year.

Rijeka Mayor Iva Rinčić said the city planned to build a 25-28 unit affordable housing block in Krnjevo and was also looking for additional sites for rental housing.

Asked about protected tenants in Rijeka, Bačić said they would be provided with alternative accommodation by 2030 and given the option to purchase the apartments they move into at favourable terms, in line with the law.

He also said the Kantrida stadium would be designated as a strategically important sports facility and receive government support.

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