Urbanisation costs and charges: an italian perspective

Abstract

The paper illustrates some parameters about urbanisation costs as an useful tool to set up the urbanisation charges in a more balanced way. From the theoretical point of view, the link between urbanisation costs and charges is clear in Italy, but it is not assumed in the legislation nor in technical guidelines for public administrators or professional consultants.
Already in the 70s, some researches proposed parameters to evaluate urbanisation costs. Those results were not considered within the urban dynamic management and the attention on them fell down. Then the problem was faced only to prove the different costs of facilities for high and low density settlements, aiming at demonstrating that sprawl is an expansive urban dynamic.
Now municipal budgets are facing serious problems to balance incomes and outcomes, due to the new urbanisation areas; also the gain of private developers, that in the past was higher when compared to the public one, is tailing off.
Nevertheless, the right balance of public and private gain is essential: without a clear evaluation of the costs and benefits obtained by every player, it is impossible to support the real estate market.
Some parameters will be proposed in the paper, whereas more detailed ones might be implemented in future researches, especially in relation to the secondary urbanisation works.
Applied researches should also be developed, where one or more municipalities could test the effect of the parameters on the urbanisation costs and on the real estate market.