The Development Plan for the Old City of Aleppo is a long-term planning program to revitalize and preserve the historic city and develop adequate urban management systems.  

The Development Plan includes a context analysis for Aleppo’s historic center, which is home to over 106,000 inhabitants and numerous historical structures.  The analysis covers challenges of urban growth, socio-economic shifts, past planning efforts, and current rehabilitation efforts (both by the public and private sectors). 

The Development Plan for the Old City of Aleppo is anchored in several key objectives, focusing on the revitalization and preservation of its cultural and historical significance:

1. Comprehensive Change and Preservation: The primary objective is to balance the dynamic of change with the preservation of areas and locations of rare and precious character. This involves enhancing the living conditions of the Old City's residents while conserving its social variety and economic diversity.

2. Planning Framework and Human Activity: Establishing an institutional and financial framework for rehabilitation is crucial. This includes creating a new Development Plan and preparing and implementing Action Area Plans for rehabilitation measures. Mobilizing inhabitants to participate in the rehabilitation efforts is also a priority.

3. Promoting Central Functions: As a World Heritage Site, the Old City needs to safeguard its urban fabric to international standards and enhance its role as a national and world cultural center.

4. Land Use Development: The objectives include defining and enforcing land use for housing, businesses, and open spaces. This involves adapting residential densities, redefining mixed land uses, and preserving space for traditional activities like the main Souk.

5. Demography and Housing: The plan aims to redefine residential use by adjusting population densities, architectural styles, and social patterns to preserve the traditional Islamic urban pattern.

6. Urban Economy: A diverse economic base is essential, involving the relocation of non-compatible businesses, preservation of traditional activities, and encouragement of new technology-based enterprises.

7. Environmental Considerations: Establishing environmental standards, managing pollution, and enhancing open spaces are key objectives.

8. Traffic Management: Upgrading public transportation, regulating private transport, and developing parking systems are planned to address traffic issues.

9. Technical Infrastructure: Upgrading essential services like water supply, sewerage, and waste management is crucial.

10. Social Infrastructure: Enhancing health, education, and social services facilities are important for improving residents' quality of life.

11. Renovation and Restoration Guidelines: Providing guidelines for architectural preservation and renovation simplifies the process for property owners, encouraging them to maintain the city's historical character.

The Development Plan also includes a mixture of strategies to achieve its complex objectives:

1. Key Strategy / General Development Direction 

2. Spatial Development Strategy - Land use Plan

3. Demography and Housing 

4. Economic Development Strategy 

5. Environmental Development Strategy 

6. Traffic / Transportation Development Strategy 

7. Technical Infrastructure Development Strategy 

8. Social Development Strategy 

9. Historical Building Strategy Guidelines

The strategies proposed by the Development Plan adopt the following principles: 

• Protection and Control: Necessary to maintain the Old City's attractiveness and safeguard its architectural and urban heritage.

• Budgeting and Fund Raising: Facilitating rehabilitation according to priorities and attracting private engagement.

• Implementation of Upgrading Activities: Improving living standards through a range of urban development activities.

• Action Areas Concept: Testing programming and implementation procedures in specific areas of the Old City, with plans for large-scale application.  

• Sector-Specific Strategies: Addressing urgent measures in each urban sector, providing early information for larger scale improvement schemes and opportunities for private investment.

• Balanced Planning Approach: Combining top-down (master planning) and bottom-up (community involvement) approaches to ensure a holistic and inclusive development process.

• Institutional and Organizational Development: Creating an independent supervisory board and rehabilitation body, managing own budget, and organizing an effective administrative structure.

Our expert - Omar Abdulaziz Hallaj - contributed the following services towards the preparation of the Development Plan: 

• Co-editing the Plan. 

• Development of the historical research, the development of the chapters related to urban land use and historic buildings, as well as working with all the other sections to ensure the coherence of strategies and mainstream outcomes. 

• Intensive engagement of stakeholders 

• Negotiating the formal adoption procedures by national authorities, and coordinating the approval and adoption procedures with line ministries and the UNESCO world Heritage Center.