Understanding strategic spatial planning to effectively guide development of urban regions

Abstract

Strategic spatial planning is increasingly practised throughout the world to develop a coordinated vision for guiding the medium-to long-term development of urban regions. However, from a theoretical and conceptual perspective, strategic spatial planning is hard to grasp, as it is multidimensional, embedded in sociopolitical and institutional complexity and highly contextdependent. Moreover, current planning debates mainly focus on the outputs of the strategic planning process while largely neglecting the impact that strategic spatial plans can have on urban transformations. Here, we show an empirically-based analytical framework grounded on an analysis of 21 European urban regions, representing the key components of plan-making and planimplementation as well as the main interrelationships among them. The proposed framework (SPlaMI) reflects current planning practices and intends to contribute towards consolidating a European understanding of strategic spatial planning while providing the basis for dialogue with broader discourses on sustainable development in a global context.

Building green infrastructure to enhance urban resilience to climate change and pandemics

“…Strategic planning conducted at urban region level can contribute to designing GIs that enhance resilience to climate change since it places environmental concerns among its goals along economic aspirations and focus on quality of life (Hersperger et al 2019 ). Many strategic plans currently in place already address the challenges of climate change.…”

Combining the Traditional and Modern Architecture in Taman Samarendah Plan, Samarinda City, East Kalimantan Province, Indonesia

“…Besides, Taman Samarendah functions as traffic control. This is according to the original purpose and idea of utilization of vacant land formerly the location of Junior High School 1 and Senior High School 1 to become a Green Open Space [33].…”

Bridging the rural-urban dichotomy in land use science

“…Consistently, the interconnected nature of rural and urban areas is also relevant for land use planning and policymaking. Although there are large variations between places, urban expansion is usually addressed at the municipal level, and to a lesser degree at the regional and national level (Hersperger et al, 2019). Conversely, agricultural changes are mainly affected by agricultural policies, while agricultural trade is typically included in economic policies, both of which are normally addressed at the national level.…”