Israel’s Regional Planning and Construction Board (Northern District) has approved the publication of a new municipal masterplan for Julis, a Druze township in the Galilee.
The new masterplan paves the way for construction of some 3,000 new housing units, providing residential opportunities that will allow the township to double its population to 12,5000 residents while enabling major improvements to existing infrastructure alongside development of new services and public institutions.
The masterplan was released on Tuesday (October 13).
Many of the new housing projects will utilize already-existing land reserves and newly-expanded construction rights, while others will be built on newly-acquired municipal land reserves, allotted to Julis as part of an expansion project launched by the National Planning Authority.
The plan sets aside some 300 dunams for commercial use, as well as 100 dunams of green spaces. Among other things, the new masterplan will convert the town center and its historic landmarks into a pedestrian mall.
The Regavim non-profit organization applauded the new plan.
“Well-designed planning that makes full use of land reserves while addressing the need to develop housing and employment opportunities is the basis of modern, efficient land-use policy,” said Meir Deutsch, Director General of Regavim.
“These principles should be at the heart of all future planning in Israel, particularly in communities that developed over the years without any oversight or long-term vision.
“Organized, forward-thinking policy of this kind is in the best interests of the residents themselves, who will finally enjoy the benefits of urban planning – modern infrastructure, improved living and working conditions, and a cleaner, brighter, more promising future.”
