Court cancels changes to plans that would zone Lake Gökpınar for construction

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The Sivas Administrative Court has cancelled the changes to the development plans that would zone Lake Gökpınar for construction.

Giving its ruling upon the legal action of the Ankara Branch of the Chamber of Architects, the court has concluded that the Gökpınar Lake's 2nd Stage Master Development Plan Scaled 1/ 5,000 and Implementory Development Plan Scaled 1/ 1,000 "do not comply with the law."

Speaking about the court ruling, Chamber of Architects' Ankara Chair Tezcan Karakuş-Candan has said that "this ruling given thanks to the struggle of Lake Gökpınar Preservation Platform and their determination of struggle has proven their rightfulness in the name of the public."

Expert report was in favor of Gökpınar

The expert who had carried out an examination in the region submitted a report to the case file and concluded that the related changes to the plans were contrary to the principles of planning, legal regulations on preservation, techniques of plan drafting and drawing and public good.

The expert underlined that Lake Gökpınar, which also fell within the scope of the changes to plans, was a unique natural heritage and that it was a rare spot in not only Sivas, but in entire Turkey, too.

Accordingly, the expert indicated that the provisions in the related plans were shaped around construction-facility-car park and, that being the case, the related area would be covered in concrete.

The expert report also indicated that the construction of buildings and the planning of a car park in the 1st grade natural site area were not in compliance with the legal regulations in effect, the principles of urbanization and planning as well as with the public good.

'Give lawful decisions'

Commenting on the court ruling, Ankara Branch Chair of the Chamber of Architects Tezcan Karakuş-Candan has stressed the uniqueness of Lake Gökpınar with its natural beauty and historical and archeological values. She has welcomed the cancellation of the changes to the plans "which would inflict irreparable damage on Lake Gökpınar."

Recalling that the court has cancelled the related changes based on the opinions of scientists, Karakuş-Candan has said:

In the justification of its ruling, the court has indicated that the related changes to the plans were prepared based on outdated maps and without taking the opinions of the relevant institutions, they are against the legal regulations, the principles of urbanization and planning and they do not comply with the law.

Concluding her remarks, she has called on the Sivas Special Provincial Administration to give decisions in line with the law, legal regulations and principles of preservation and eliminate the current damage.

About Lake Gökpınar

Located in Gürün district in Sivas province, Lake Gökpınar is a special lake formed on natural resources with its alluvial deposit. With a depth of 17-20 meters, it looks like a natural aquarium and regardless of the season, the temperature of freshwater is always 11 degrees. (TP/SD)