TY - JOUR
T1 - Towards more balanced territorial relations
T2 - The role (And limitations) of spatial planning as a governance approach
AU - Knickel, Karlheinz
AU - Almeida, Alexandra
AU - Bauchinger, Lisa
AU - Casini, Maria Pia
AU - Gassler, Bernd
AU - Hausegger-Nestelberger, Kerstin
AU - Heley, Jesse
AU - Henke, Reinhard
AU - Knickel, Marina
AU - Oostindie, Henk
AU - Ovaska, Ulla
AU - Pina, Carlos
AU - Rovai, Massimo
AU - Vulto, Hans
AU - Wiskerke, Johannes S.C.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research is funded by the ROBUST project, as part of the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union under Grant Agreement no. 727988. The information and views set out in this article are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of the European Union.
Funding Information:
In the Metropolitan Area of Styria/Graz, the autonomous use of the financial resources that is enacted with the Law on Planning and Development clearly goes beyond spatial planning. It also includes provisions for regional development budgets and, for example, for more specific financial incentives for encouraging intercommunal cooperation. Bauchinger (2018) argues that such incentives are crucial not only in stimulating cooperative strategies, but also for considering the overall development of the Styrian regions, instead of continuing separate action. In this context, intercommunal cooperation is the main precondition to receive financial support for projects from the regional development budget. The law enhances the autonomy of regions, which in turn fosters the adaptation of measures to local needs, challenges and potentials [32]. The Helsinki region pursues similar strategies to execute the MAL agreement and related planning. While the cooperation of the city and its neighbouring municipalities in transport, housing and land use plans is in the centre, the cooperation is supported by the State with financial incentives. This support includes major investments in rail transport, cycling routes and public transport [33].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
PY - 2021/5/10
Y1 - 2021/5/10
N2 - Decision-makers, planners and administrators involved in different policy domains at different governance levels face the important challenge of fostering more balanced, sustainable and territorially integrated development. Well-designed, multi-level, multi-sector and multi-actor governance arrangements can play a key role in this process through orchestrating the interplay between different spheres, activities, actors and interests. In this paper, we examine the role of spatial planning in improving the relations between rural, peri-urban and urban areas. We analyse the strengths and limitations of spatial planning and explore the connections with territorial development. The methodology used for this analysis combines regional case studies in seven European locations—Ede, Frankfurt/Rhein-Main, Styria/Graz, Helsinki, Lisbon, Lucca and Mid Wales, with rapid appraisals, the analysis of published data, expert judgement and triangulation. We ask under which conditions spatial planning can induce more balanced, sustainable territorial relations, and look at the contribution planning can make to achieving sustainable development goals. The problem of ineffective (or toothless) plan implementation provides the entry point into the analysis and discussion. We illustrate why mutually beneficial relations between urban, peri-urban and rural communities (and territories) cannot simply be planned. Instead, these relationships need to be supported by strategies, policy instruments and governance arrangements that foster synergies between different actors and activities. The planning process itself needs to become more transparent and participatory. We conclude that the questions addressed in this article in an exploratory fashion merit further research especially as a more sustainable and territorially integrated development is becoming increasingly important in European policy making.
AB - Decision-makers, planners and administrators involved in different policy domains at different governance levels face the important challenge of fostering more balanced, sustainable and territorially integrated development. Well-designed, multi-level, multi-sector and multi-actor governance arrangements can play a key role in this process through orchestrating the interplay between different spheres, activities, actors and interests. In this paper, we examine the role of spatial planning in improving the relations between rural, peri-urban and urban areas. We analyse the strengths and limitations of spatial planning and explore the connections with territorial development. The methodology used for this analysis combines regional case studies in seven European locations—Ede, Frankfurt/Rhein-Main, Styria/Graz, Helsinki, Lisbon, Lucca and Mid Wales, with rapid appraisals, the analysis of published data, expert judgement and triangulation. We ask under which conditions spatial planning can induce more balanced, sustainable territorial relations, and look at the contribution planning can make to achieving sustainable development goals. The problem of ineffective (or toothless) plan implementation provides the entry point into the analysis and discussion. We illustrate why mutually beneficial relations between urban, peri-urban and rural communities (and territories) cannot simply be planned. Instead, these relationships need to be supported by strategies, policy instruments and governance arrangements that foster synergies between different actors and activities. The planning process itself needs to become more transparent and participatory. We conclude that the questions addressed in this article in an exploratory fashion merit further research especially as a more sustainable and territorially integrated development is becoming increasingly important in European policy making.
KW - Case studies
KW - Europe
KW - Peri-urban
KW - Rural
KW - Spatial planning
KW - Sustainable development
KW - Territorial governance
KW - Urban
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85106457301&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/su13095308
DO - 10.3390/su13095308
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85106457301
SN - 2071-1050
VL - 13
JO - Sustainability (Switzerland)
JF - Sustainability (Switzerland)
IS - 9
M1 - 5308
ER -