The Development of Residential Areas in Kraków in 2002-2015

The purpose of the article is to assess changes of the area of residential sites distinguished within the technical land use, characteristic for cities, carried out on the example of Kraków. The analysis of changes of that sort of sites was investigated in the years 2002-2015. The main reason for adopting such a period was to consider in the present study land register lists developed by surveying institutions every year based on the latest Regulation of the Minister of Regional Development and Construction of 2001 concerning land registers published in the Official Journal in 2001. Such research could be conducted only for total residential sites, as this type of use is mentioned by the aforementioned legal document. The assessment of the location of housing developments was conducted both within the entire city, as well as on the basis of 4 cadastral units, once (i.e. in 1973-1991) administrative districts of Kraków. The research showed that the considerable growth of the share of residential development area occurred in the period between 2002 and 2015. While during the times of centrally planned economy it was Nowa Huta that was characterised by the highest rate of development of residential areas, at the moment the focus has moved to Podgórze, a part of the city located on the right bank of the Vistula river. The largest area of residential development was in the hands of natural persons. Its clear growth was visible in the years 2002-2015, with the decline of the areas of land belonging to the State Treasury or being municipal property (of municipalities and their associations).