Urban planning law in Ukraine – reforms since independence and how can law support reconstruction?

The article deals with the development of urban planning law in Ukraine from independence in 1991 to the present. It reports on the legal basis of (formal) urban planning and (partly informal) integrated urban development concepts. In 1992, the first urban development law was passed, which, however, still restricted the planning powers of the municipalities. Since 2014/15, the comprehensive municipal reform has led to the formation of municipalities of efficient size with significantly expanded powers in services of general interest. The 2020 reform law introduced full planning authority for the entire municipal area and the new planning type “complex plan”. In 2022, the “Reconstruction Programme” was introduced in response to the military incursion by Russia. The author makes proposals for reconstruction based on Integrated Urban Development Concepts including a stronger orientation of planning law towards urban renewal.