Planning Without Shared Strategies. Impacts and Perspectives Along the Abruzzo Adriatic Coastal Belt

The Italian legal framework for protecting land and curbing its consumption is currently very heterogeneous and complex. In addition to the outdated National urban planning laws, there are various regional and provincial laws on land management, each with its own technical and administrative peculiarities. Thisdiversity is even reflected in the urban planning instruments of municipalities in the same region andaffects the ability of regions to monitor and manage urban dynamics in line with strategic objectives.The issue of land take is an example of the challenges posed by the lack of a comprehensive nationalframework, leading to a multiplicity of regional regulations. This has led to ambiguities, uncertainties, anddifferent interpretations of the phenomenon across regional boundaries. Despite the European Union's goalof achieving zero net land take by 2050, the Italian legal framework remains fragmented, asnumerous legislative proposals have not received final approval at the national level. In the Italian spatialplanning system, municipal planning plays a decisive role in understanding future settlementdevelopments. However, the complexity of the legal framework and insufficient technological resourcesoften limit planning to individual municipalities. This study presents the results obtained by analyzing the municipalities located along the Adriatic coastal stretch of the Abruzzo region, examining thecontents of the current urban plans of the 19 municipalities included in this area. It uncovers critical issuesand contradictions that could affect ecological connectivity and emphasizes the need for strategic planningto maintain environmental integrity in these areas.