Top court overturns ban on Istanbul zoning plan

The Council of State, Turkey's highest administrative court, overturned a lower court's cancellation of a zoning plan for Istanbul's historical Beyoğlu district, two years after an Istanbul court ruled against the plan that will essentially see a series of renovation projects in the district. Several local nongovernmental organizations had filed a lawsuit against the plan that they claimed would harm the historical texture of the district where the famous Taksim Square and 19th century buildings are located.

In its verdict, the Council of State said an expert report that the lower court based its ruling on did not contain "scientific data that would validate the cancellation of a zoning plan."

The zoning plan, which encompasses the Taksim, Cihangir, Tarlabaşı and Tophane neighborhoods on Istanbul's European side, calls for major renovation projects for old buildings. Its opponents claim the plan will make the district "touristy" and alienate the urbane population, as the expert report the Council of State rejected emphasized. They claim the plan would also commercialize the historical district as it would pave the way for the use of buildings and areas for tourism, commerce and service spaces instead of cultural spaces. Authorities deny the claim and say the zoning plan is needed due to crumbling infrastructure in the district.

Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Beyoğlu Mayor Ahmet Misbah Demircan said the zoning plan was drafted with consideration to the preservation of historical areas in the district. He said the earlier cancellation of the zoning plan had disrupted the development of Beyoğlu and they would resume the renovation projects after the Council of State overturned the earlier ruling.

Projects for Istanbul's historic districts in need of renovation due to decades of negligence often face opposition that lead to lengthy legal battles. Authorities are seeking to improve the urban landscape and propel an economic boom by attracting more tourists while activists complain the renovation may harm the urban fabric.