Smolian is the second biggest city in Rodopite and the longest one in Bulgaria with 15 km of its long axis along the narrow gorge of Cherna river, at 850-1,000 m altitude. It was founded in 1960 through the unification of three villages - Smolian, Raykovo and Ustovo. It is situated at 260 km from Sofia, at 103 km from Plovdiv and at 16 km to the south of Pamporovo resort. The town had its first master plan in 1976 and its current outlook is a result of it. This plan is already outdated with no valid territorial and functional parameters, said Antoaneta Topalova, architect and urban planner and one of the authors of the document from 1976. The current realities of a town in transition in a situation after the Bulgarian EU accession in the process of harmonization with the European standards for urban and natural environment. According to the municipal plan for development up to 2013 the vision of the town is "an intensively developing tourist centre of European importance". To preserve its identity and environment for quality living, rest and work the town needs restructuring of the social and technical infrastructure to meet the new challenges. Smolian has to face the river with new multifunctional zones says Kamelia Peshunova, architect from the team of the National centre for spatial development working on the project, the existing industrial zones which are not fully used should be reconsidered. There is a proposal the Northern industrial zone to be expanded up to 500,000 sq. m with a helicopter landing pad. In the other industrial zone in Ustovo neighbourhood under discussion are the opportunities for conversion of the former military barrack zones - for business park or potato growing.