The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Sustainable Urban Fringes from a regional perspective Drs Bauke de Vries, Dr Ir Theo de Bruijn, Drs Huib Haccou Saxion University of Applied Sciences, Deventer The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union structure • Project Sustainable Urban Fringes • Sustainable development • Governance • Tools: building networks; creating synergy • Conclusions The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Progress SURF • Partners (nearly) finished with projects amd project reflections • Final conference Aberdeen June 2012 • Autumn 2012 -dissemination of lessons learned • Draft Toolkit Sustainable Urban Fringes distributed for feedback by partners The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Sustainable development in urban fringes The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Combine qualities here / now – elsewhere / later Elsewhere Attention for effects outside area Elsewhere / later Sustainable Here Here / now Quality of life Future proof Quality Now Later The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Social quality • Socio-economic security • Social cohesion • Social inclusion • Social empowerment (Van er Maesen and Walker, 2006) The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Socio-economic security and social cohesion • Health • Income sufficiency • Income security • Employment security • Neighbourhood and community design The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Environmental quality • Fossil fuel reduction • Renewable energy • Closed material cycles • Room for water • Nature / biodiversity The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Spatial quality • Functional value • Aesthetic value • Future value (Nota Ruimte / Dutch Spatial Planning Strategy, 2004) The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Aesthetic value: visual link urban - rural The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Functional value: multiple land use • Combine functions where possible • Separate functions where necessary • Use underground and / of roofs The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Future value: robust and flexible • Consistent and clear main structure • Details flexible and adaptable, depending upon societal developments or needs from stakeholders The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Economic quality and competitiveness • Suitable businesses; room for entrepreneurship • Urban area = market for urban fringe entrepreneurs AND source of raw materials, financing opportunities and labour The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union sectors • Urban agriculture • Care • Shops & services • Creative industry The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Process quality: involve stakeholders in decision making The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Evidence for synergy between qualities • Spatial quality as a factor for location choices of businesses (Assink and Groenendijk, 2009) • Zoning and neighbourhood design as a physical condition for social sustainability (Van Dorst, 2006) • Green space as a factor that can improve health and social cohesion and can reduce health care costs (Maas, 2009) The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Governance: trends (1) From: To: Separation between urban planning and rural planning Integrated urban – rural planning Separation of functions Multifunctionality and interaction of functions Top down planning Participatory planning Blue print planning Flexible planning The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Governance: trends (2) From: To: Competition between stakeholders: win – loose Cooperation between stakeholders: win – win Reactive planning Pro-active planning Focus on here and now; short term financial benefits Focus on later and elsewhere: sustainable developments Government is leading Public private partnerships: cooperation between government, NGOs and businesses. The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union GOVERNANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE UF Two main elements: • Building networks • Creating synergies between various qualities The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Building networks • Neighbourhood forum, Hamburg • Regional vision development, Twente • Green knowledge portal, Twente • Cooperation between authorities and higher education, West Flanders • Weusthag Foundation, Hengelo • Design review panel, Aberdeen The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union Green Knowledge Portal Twente • Regional network organisation • Partners: entrepreneurs, governments, educational and research institutes • Aim: involve educational institutes on all levels in working in regional rural and urban fringe issues The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union • http://kenniswerkplaat s.eu/groene- kennispoort-twente The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union CREATING SYNERGY • Gids Buitenkans, Enschede • Improve green space on business areas, Almelo • Regional Branding, West Flanders • Business models for urban agriculture, West Flanders • Business involvement in parish plans, Bradford • Provincial quality chamber, East Flanders • Green and blue services, Enschede The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union PROVINCIAL QUALITY CHAMBER • Aim: strengthening spatial quality and environmental sustainability in projects in the urban fringe and rural areas. • Members: civil servants with different disciplines, and external experts. The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union PQC: procedure • Presentation by project initiator • Multi-disciplinary recommendations from PQC team • No legally binding recommendations, but possible advantage in legal procedures The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union • http://www.oost- vlaanderen.be/public/economie_landbouw/ landbouw/plattelandsbeleid/kwaliteitskame r/index.cfm#.T7AclrM9V9s The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union CHARACTERISING THE TOOLS • Focus on interactive processes and network management • Plus a focus on integrating spatial, economic and social qualities • Ecological quality mostly translated into local issues such as (green) space. Little attention to more global aspects as energy, C2C, etc. The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union THE CHALLENGE The European Regional Development FundEuropean Union CONCLUSIONS • Urban fringes have become a prime area of attention • The issues and urgencies show a variety of situations • Urgent need for effective governance approaches • Interesting tools are in development • Integrating all qualities in a multilevel, multiactor approach remains a challenge