General Territorial Local Plan for Kuçova Municipality

The municipality has a population of 31,424 residents, according to the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT), and 52,015 residents, according to the Civil Status Office. The population density is 196.3 residents per square kilometer. The municipality of Kuçovë has a strong industrial identity, dating back to the 18th century and reinforced during the establishment of the city as the "Oil City". Despite the current status of the industry, this potential should be repurposed in a new and efficient way for the local economy. The development of the municipality has experienced significant territorial growth between 1990 and 2007, after which it has remained relatively stable. The analysis of policentrism (actual and potential) presents the municipality of Kuçovë as a relatively central area in relation to population flows, population concentration, short distances, and employment interest. The results of monitoring have shown that the waters of the Devoll, Osum, and Seman rivers are heavily polluted with heavy metals. Since the waters of these rivers are also used for agriculture, it is necessary to monitor them further to determine if they are suitable for irrigation. It is necessary for the municipality to undertake projects that aim to reduce pollution in the river, prevent the discharge of polluted water into the river, and prevent industrial waste and all activities that affect the pollution of the river's waters, including agricultural inputs through efficient use. The municipality also has several hotspots of environmental pollution. Considering the risks that these hotspots pose to the environment and human health, it is necessary to take measures to clean and rehabilitate them as soon as possible. The use of land and infrastructure in the municipality is also a concern. The agricultural use of land is dominant at the level of the municipality. The majority of agricultural land is arable land and cultivated land, and the main conflicts related to land use are related to oil wells in the vicinity of inhabited areas and agricultural land. The water and sewage systems do not cover the entire city and present problems of amortization, especially in rural areas, where the percentage of coverage is significantly lower and the problems are more significant. The accessibility of the municipality of Kuçovë is relatively problematic, especially for the Lumas community, which does not have direct connections with Kuçovë within the municipality's territory. The National Plan 2015-2030 foresees that the central southern axis will pass through Kuçovë, specifically the segment that starts in Papër and ends in Memaliaj. The disposal of solid waste in the meander of the Devoll River, near the village of Rreth Tapi, is one of the hotspots of environmental pollution in the municipality, as the land in this area is highly alluvial, causing pollution not only of the subsoil layers but also of the groundwater and the river's waters. The economy of the municipality of Kuçovë is oriented towards agriculture, but the agricultural sector is not as dominant as in other neighboring municipalities. Potentially, the service sector is worth developing, as it currently accounts for 30% of employed residents. In the agricultural sector, there are satisfactory levels of production of vegetables, forage crops, and fruit trees, as well as high productivity of milk, meat, and wool. However, there is no agricultural collection point in Kuçovë, but the nearest one is in Kutalli, Lushnjë. The industrial sector is represented by some agro-processing industries and the oil extraction and processing industry. The number of oil wells in the municipality of Kuçovë is the highest in all oil-producing areas in Albania, while employment in this sector accounts for only 17% of employed residents in the municipality. In terms of educational infrastructure, the municipality of Kuçovë has a good coverage of the three levels of education (preschool, 9-year, and secondary). Some distant villages, such as Frashëri, Luzaj, and Katundas, have limited access to educational institutions, while Lumasi and Katundas have limited access to 9-year schools, and Driza, Koritëza, and Sheqëzi have limited access to secondary schools. The municipality of Kuçovë has 20 healthcare institutions, including 1 hospital (in the city of Kuçovë), 6 health centers, 7 emergency medical services, 3 dental services, and 3 pharmacies. It is necessary to add a health center in the Perondi community and 2-3 health centers or emergency medical services in the Kuçovë community to meet the required standards for primary healthcare. Employment in the municipality of Kuçovë is relatively low, with a total of 7,500 employed residents, of which 2,500 are employed in the agricultural sector, 1,500 in the industrial sector, and 3,500 in the service sector