Competences in the Planning Process of Protected Areas: the Case of the Kubad-Abad Palace

Abstract

This study aims to explore issues that will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of the planning process in order to examine the problems encountered in spatial planning studies carried out in protected areas within the scope of Kubad-Abad Palace Protection Plan. The study targets to improve the planning process of protected areas in every sense and to reduce the conflict of authority between different institutions. The jurisdictional confusion experienced in Conservation Development Plans is a subject that is rarely discussed in the urban studies literature. The study is expected to fill this gap in the literature to a certain extent. In the research, literature review, document analysis, case study and in- depth interview methods were used together. Kubad-Abad Palace in the Beyşehir District of Konya Province has been selected as the case area. Kubad-Abad Palace has 5 different conservation status: I.Degree Archeolo- gical Site, III. Degree Archeological Site, Sustainable Conservation and Controlled Use Area, Qualified Natural Conservation Area and Beyşehir Lake National Park. Therefore, the case area has the feature of “overlapping restricted area”. Physical structure analyzes and various specific analyzes were conducted for the selected case area. A detailed process analysis was made on which institutions contributed to the conservation plan studies regarding the Kubad-Abad Palace and in what manner. Excavation and Research Studies, Documentation and Storage Arrangement Studies, Restoration and Conservation Studies, Tourism Studies and the process of these studies were evaluated in detail. The study revealed that too many institutions were involved in the planning process of the Kubad-Abad Palace, and many authority conflicts emerged among many institutions that had to work together. The emergence of conflicts of authority between institutions arises from the existence of provisions and uncertainties that cause controversy in protection laws and regulations. Dissemination of decision-making authority on protected areas among too many institutions complicates, slows down, extends the planning process and weakens the success of the resulting plan. Simplification should be made in the number of institutions that plan, supervise, approve and implement the plan in overlapping protected areas. New legal and institutional arrangements are needed to ensure coordination between competent institutions in protected areas and to eliminate overlapping roles and powers.