Albania | 16 new high-rise projects in Tirana and the coast – Towers up to 43 floors

A new round of major construction development is underway in Albania, with at least 16 high-rise projects going through the National Council for Spatial Planning and Water. Most of the approvals concern Tirana, while significant construction is also planned in coastal areas, as part of a development model that is a key choice of Edi Rama's governments.

The decisions were made at the July 17 meeting and include development permits, building permits and revisions to already approved plans. These are residential complexes, hotels, service areas and mixed-use buildings, with a height of at least 15 floors.

Αλβανία | Στην Ειδική Εισαγγελία κατά της Διαφθοράς η αστυνομική βία κατά διαδηλωτών – Μήνυση από το Δημοκρατικό Κόμμα

At the top is the “Garda Tower” in Tirana, a residential, hotel and service tower that is planned to reach 43 floors. “M-21” is planned with 26 floors, “Elite Tower” with 24 and “Vertical Village” with 23, further changing the face of the Albanian capital.

The redevelopment plan for the "Selman Stërmasi" stadium is also particularly extensive. Two different multi-storey structures are planned, one for services and hotel uses up to 23 floors and the second for residences and services up to 25. This specific plan is linked to an initiative promoted through the Albanian Investment Company.

Also included in Tirana are the 16-story "Uzina Residence", the "Scarlet Tower" with structures up to 15 floors, and the "Vertical Community" up to 18, along with additional large residential and service complexes.

The same picture extends to the coasts. In Durres, a complex reaching 21 floors was approved, in Vlorë construction is planned up to 16 floors, in Senj the "Duna" up to 15, while in Spile of Rogozina the 15-story apart-hotel "The Wave" is planned.

The extent of the approvals is fueling the political debate over the rama government's urban and tourism development model. the Continuous Expansion of large-scale construction in the capital and coastal zones is accompanied by reactions and questions about spatial planning, the burden on infrastructure, the protection of the natural environment and the transparency of large investments.

The broader debate over strategic investments, land management and changes to the status of protected areas falls within the same field. Political opponents of the government and environmental organizations have criticized specific government choices, arguing that they facilitate the development of land at the expense of stricter environmental guarantees.

The Rama government presents the large investments as part of the country's economic and tourism development. Its critics, on the other hand, question who ultimately benefits from this construction boom and call for greater transparency regarding approvals, investors and land use.

With skyscrapers of up to 43 floors in Tirana and high-rise complexes expanding along the coast, the building footprint of the Rama era is becoming increasingly pronounced. With it, questions remain open about the conditions under which urban space and the Albanian coastline are being transformed, but also about the guarantees provided against phenomena of opacity, environmental degradation and the concentration of development in large business interests.