Navigating Ukraine’s spatial planning framework: legal foundations and new priorities
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.26565/2410-7360-2026-64-15Keywords:
spatial planning, legislation, post-war recovery, housing policy, urban planning, sustainable development, territorial community (hromada), UkraineAbstract
Introduction. The full-scale war has fundamentally transformed the context of spatial development in Ukraine and exposed significant weaknesses in the legal and institutional framework governing spatial planning and urban development. Against the backdrop of Ukraine’s European integration process, the modernisation of spatial planning legislation has become an important prerequisite for improving governance, strengthening territorial resilience, and ensuring the coordinated recovery of communities. This research aims to critically examine Ukraine’s current legislative framework for spatial planning and urban development, identify its strengths and weaknesses, and define strategic directions for its renewal in line with Ukraine’s key needs and challenges.
Methods. The study is based on a comprehensive analysis of Ukrainian legislation, policy documents, and academic literature on spatial planning and urban development, combined with a comparative assessment of their alignment with European planning approaches and emerging priorities of post-war reconstruction. Content analysis identified gaps in the legal framework for spatial planning, while a SWOT analysis assessed the strengths and weaknesses of the current spatial planning system.
Results. The research reveals that current legislation remains fragmented and complex, hampered by martial law, war-related destruction, and a lack of coordination between government sectors. Major issues include the limited public access to geospatial data and challenges in managing urban development processes, especially in the context of post-war reconstruction. The findings suggest that modernising Ukrainian spatial planning legislation can be achieved by integrating post-war reconstruction priorities, housing strategies, and geospatial solutions into a single, sustainable spatial development system. Housing reform is identified as a critical component for protecting the rights of internally displaced persons through restoration, compensation, and strategic investment. At the same time, effective integration with geospatial infrastructure requires harmonised data standards, technical interoperability, and stronger alignment with hromada-level planning processes. The analysis further demonstrates that transforming the legislative framework should optimise mechanisms for preparing key spatial planning documents, particularly the Comprehensive Plan for the Spatial Development of the Territorial Community, while strengthening territorial hromadas’ capacity to use spatial resources efficiently and respond to economic instability.
Conclusions. The modernisation of Ukraine’s spatial planning system requires the integrated alignment of legislation, institutions, housing policy, and geospatial technologies, while drawing on European planning experience to enhance the resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability of post-war recovery. The proposed reforms would contribute to more effective territorial governance, improved planning practices, and stronger adaptive capacities of communities facing long-term demographic, economic, and infrastructure-related challenges. This research aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), emphasising the importance of resilient, inclusive, and sustainable spatial development in post-war Ukraine.
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