Adi Cohen, themarker.com

The District Planning and Building Center approved a plan to build a residential neighborhood in Givat Shmuel on Wednesday. According to the plan, the neighborhood will cover about 167 acres in the northern part of the city and will include 719 housing units to be erected in nine 25-20-story towers. In addition, approximately 350 sheltered housing units will be built, 96,000 square meters of employment and commercial space and 28,000 square meters to be allocated to public areas.

The plan was submitted by the Givat Shmuel Municipality and prepared by a planning team led by architect Yossi Farhi. Of the total residential units in the program, 144 housing units will be allocated for small apartments. Employment areas will be constructed in four 12-story buildings that will be built along Highway 4. The two lower floors will be used for trading. The plan proposes the construction of a 30-acre park, which includes pooling areas, as part of Givat Shmuel's drainage solution.

In addition, the plan includes the construction of an urban square in the heart of the neighborhood. It will be surrounded by commercial fronts and public buildings and will allow access to the main streets and public areas. In the transport aspect, the plan connects to the existing city set of streets. The planned streets will have bike lanes along the walkways. Given the compactness of Givat Shmuel, the proposed design strengthens walking and the use of bicycles and public transport.

The plan was formulated on the basis of a planning policy that was set for its preparation for the entire northern region of the city. The policy was formulated by the municipality and the Central District Planning Bureau, which defined the density of housing units in the city, the volume of construction, and the ratio of residential construction to the required infrastructure, public areas and transportation needs in the city.

Center District Chair Shira Brand said: "Formulating planning policy for the northern area of ​​Givat Shmuel, in cooperation with the municipality, enabled the rapid promotion of a quality program that addresses a variety of populations, along with the public needs and infrastructure needed for the city."