1. General information
Location and description of the intervention
City or FUA
Plovdiv
Region
Europe
Native title of the NBS intervention
Жилищен комплекс "Марица Гардънс"
Short description of the intervention
Maritza Gardens is a residential complex with an abundant park environment along the north bank of the Maritza River. The inner part is a 5000 sq.m. park with luxuriant vegetation and facilities for recreation. The purpose of the complex is to allow residents to successfully combine city life with well-being. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2).
Address

Maritsa Gardans
4003 Plovdiv
Bulgaria

Location
The NBS is situated in an area, with clear delineation of boundaries and a specific shape (polygon). The NBS project can also have more than one area location (more than one polygon, situated close by).
Area boundary
POINT (24.710504200035 42.151101405985)
POINT (24.71380344449 42.152039862698)
POINT (24.713695730128 42.153018252161)
POINT (24.70973657614 42.152359315058)
NBS area image
Source of NBS area image
Google Earth Pro (November 2, 2020). Coordinates offer a rough approximation of extent of NBS.
Total area
40000.00m²
NBS area
5000.00m²
Type of area before implementation of the NBS
Unknown
Website of the intervention
http://maritzagardens.com
Timeline of intervention
Start date of the intervention (planning process)
unknown
Start date of intervention (implementation process)
unknown
End date of the intervention
ongoing
Present stage of the intervention
Ongoing
Goals of the intervention
- Allow residents to combine city life with well-being by adding greenery to the complex (Ref. 2)
Quantitative targets
- Cover >30% of the area with greenery
- Form private gardens with 30 - 60 m2 area
(Ref. 1).
Monitoring indicators defined
Percent of area covered by greenery, area (m^2) of private gardens (Ref. 1).
Sustainability challenge(s) addressed
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Green space creation and/or management
Regeneration, land-use and urban development
Regulation of built environment
Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Creation of opportunities for recreation
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Real estate development
Implementation activities
- In order to reach a high quality of living, the greenery has been designed to occupy >30% of the territory.
- The apartments on the ground floor are equipped with private gardens
- There is seasonal renewal of the greenery and daily maintenance of the grounds.
(Ref. 1; Ref. 2)
Type of NBS project
Creation of new green areas
NBS domain and interventions
Ecological domain(s) where the NBS intervention(s) is/are implemented
Grey infrastructure featuring greens
House gardens
Parks and urban forests
Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces
Vegetation Type
Other
Amenities offered by the NBS
Playgrounds
Sports areas and equipment
Complementing infrastructure (bathrooms, café)
Services
Expected ecosystem services delivered
Cultural services
Aesthetic appreciation
Recreation
Scale
Spatial scale
Micro-scale: District/neighbourhood level
Beneficiaries
Primary Beneficiaries
Private sector/Corporate/Company
Citizens or community groups
Governance
Governance arrangements
Led by non-government actors
Non-government actors
Private sector/Corporate/Business
Please specify the roles of the specific government and non-government actor groups involved in the initiative
The Maritza Gardens complex was a joint venture between the finance group LCF Rothschild group, and Albis Holdings BV - a building and bussiness development company. The financing was provided by the investment fund “Edmond de Rotschild services investement”, based in Luxemburg. (Ref. 1).
Key actors - initiating organization
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Land owners
Real estate developer
Key actors - Other stakeholders involved (besides initiating actors)
Private sector/corporate actor/company
Land owners
Real estate developer
Participatory methods/forms of community involvement used
Citizen monitoring and review
Policy drivers
NBS intervention implemented in response to an Regional Directive/Strategy
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a national regulations/strategy/plan
Unknown
NBS intervention implemented in response to a local regulation/strategy/plan
Unknown
Mandatory or voluntary intervention
Voluntary (spontaneous)
Enablers
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS vision/strategy/plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of specific city-level GI/NBS section/part in a more general plan - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Please specify other vegetation type
Unspecified greenery (Ref. 1).
Presence of city network or regional partnerships focused on NBS - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Presence of GI / NBS research project - mentioned in connection to the project
Unknown
Subsidies/investment for GI / NBS in the city - mentioned in connection to the project
No
Co-finance for NBS
Unknown
Co-financing governance arrangements
Yes
Co-governance arrangement
A fund / grant
Was this co-governance arrangement already in place, or was it set up specifically for this NBS?
Already in place
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
What is/was the Cost/Budget (EUR) of the NBS or green infrastructure elements?
Unknown
What are the total amount of expected annual maintenance costs?
Unknown
What is the expected annual maintenance costs of the NBS or GI elements?
Unknown
Please specify cost savings
Unknown
Please specify total cost (EUR)
40 milion euros (Ref. 1). "It is а common project of LCF Rothschild group – one of the most competent bank and finance organizations in Europe and Albis Holdings BV, whose sharehoders have almost 40 years of experience in building and bussiness development in countries accross Europe, Africa and Israel. The financing is provided by the investment fund “Edmond de Rotschild services investement”, based in Luxemburg. Maritza Gardens Complex is the first project in Bulgaria financed by the fund, whose capital is 200 million euros, has announced in Plovdiv Jimmy Pinto, president of LCF Rothschild group" (Ref. 1).
Source(s) of funding
Corporate investment
Type of fund(s) used
Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
Unknown
Business models
Green densification model
Which of the involved actors was motivated by this model?
Private for-profit actor (e.g. firm, insurer)
Type of innovation
Social
Cultural innovation
Please specify social innovation
The project represents a new type of residential environment in the city, characterized by an extensive amount of greenery. This environment aims at improving residents' lifestyle by making their living place healthier and more aesthetically pleasing, without them having to go outside of the city (Ref. 2).
Novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Please specify novelty level of the innovation
Unknown
Replicability/Transferability
The innovation is transferred to new initiative(s) without substantial adaptation
Please specify Replicability/Transferability
A similar residential complex, named “Sunny Hill”, will be realized in Burgas (Ref. 1; Ref. 3).
Impacts, benefits
Environmental impacts
Green space and habitat
Increased green space area
Description of environmental benefits
Green space and habitat:
-Increased green space area: At least 30% of the area of the apartment complex is designated as greenery. The inner part is turned into a 5 000 sq. m. park with luxuriant vegetation (Ref. 1).
Economic impacts
Attraction of business and investment
Description of economic benefits
-Attraction of business and investment: The project was brought about by foreign finance institutions: "It is а common project of LCF Rothschild group – one of the most competent bank and finance organizations in Europe and Albis Holdings BV, whose sharehoders have almost 40 years of experience in building and bussiness development in countries accross Europe, Africa and Israel. The financing is provided by the investment fund “Edmond de Rotschild services investement”, based in Luxemburg. Maritza Gardens Complex is the first project in Bulgaria financed by the fund, whose capital is 200 million euros, has announced in Plovdiv Jimmy Pinto, president of LCF Rothschild group" (Ref. 1).
Social and cultural impacts
Social justice and cohesion
Improved liveability
Improved access to urban green space
Health and wellbeing
Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
Description of social and cultural benefits
Social justice and cohesion:
-Improvement of liveability/Improved access to urban green space: Allow residents to combine city life with well-being by adding greenery to the complex (Ref. 2).

Health and wellbeing:
-Gain in activities for recreation and exercise: "places for recreation and children playgrounds. In the park is also situated a small glazed building with a cafeteria, a sport-recreation center and etc." (Ref. 1).
Type of reported impacts
Achieved impacts
Indicators
Most of the apartments that have been built have already been sold (Ref. 2).
Environmental, social and economic impacts
Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
Health and well-being (SDG 3)
Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
Analysis of specific impact categories
Job creation: The NBS created ...
No information available
Environmental justice: The implementation of the NBS project resulted in ...
Improved access to green and/or blue spaces
Negative impacts: Did the project cause any problems or concerns?
No information was found regarding negative impacts of the project
COVID-19 pandemic
No specific information available as of November 2, 2020.
Methods of impact monitoring
Process of recording NBS impacts
No evidence in public records
Methods used to evaluate the impacts of NBS
Unknown
Evidence for use of assessment
Presence of an assessment, evaluation and/or monitoring process
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Impact assessment mechanism
Name of any specific impact assessment tools
Unknown
Use of GIS in mapping impacts
No
Citizen involvement
Citizens involvement in assessment/evaluation
Yes
Mode(s) of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Online Forum
Please specify other modes of citizen involvement in evaluation/assessment
Online comment and rating tool: The complex has a rating of 4.5/5, based on 33 reviews on Google maps. (Ref. 4).
Citizens involvement in the analysis of the assessment/evaluation
Unknown
Follow-up to the evaluation / assessment
Unknown
References
Web links relevant to the intervention
Ref. 2. Website of the residential complex
List of references
Ref. 1. Dobreva, S. (2017). Progress in the construction of the residential complex “Maritza Gardens”. [online] available at: http://www.bulgarianproperties.com/Bulgaria_articles/Maritza_Gardens_Construction_update_1839.html (Accessed: November 2, 2020).
Ref. 2. Жилищен комплекс Марица Гардънс (2017). Добре дошли в Градините на Марица! [online] available at: http://maritzagardens.com/apartamenti/index.php (Accessed: November 2, 2020).
Ref. 3. Sunny Hill (2014). Добре дошли в Съни Хил! [online] available at: http://sunnyhill-bg.com/apartamenti/ (Accessed: November 2, 2020).
Ref. 4. Google (2017). All reviews. [online] available at: https://www.google.nl/maps/place/Maritza+Gardens/@42.1521493,24.7098852,487m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m7!3m6!1s0x14acd1dd2e46ee3f:0xb11c5e0a99f1fc12!8m2!3d42.1521453!4d24.7120739!9m1!1b1?hl=en (Accessed: November 2, 2020).
Additional comments
An e-mail was sent asking for information about sections 1 and 4.
Comments and notes
Comments
No answer was received to the e-mail.
Pictures of the NBS
/sites/default/files/nbs/images/3d_image_of_maritza_gardens.jpg
Public Images
A drawing plan of an apartment complex with greenery in the interior courtyards
https://www.bulgarianproperties.com/Bulgaria_articles/Maritza_Gardens_Construction_update_1839.html