1
2
3
4
Issue 6 - 2012
Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF)
was approved by the Interreg IVB
Programme in September 2009.
The project brings together
partners from 5 countries across
the North Sea Region.
Connecting Urban
& Rural
6
Over 80 experts and practitioners from across Europe
attended the “Connecting Urban and Rural”
Conference in Aberdeen on 28 June 2012.
Sharing opportunities
for the urban edge
The event aimed to share
opportunities for the urban edge,
recognise the competitive advantage
urban fringe areas can offer and look
at successful approaches to urban
fringe management.
Conference delegates heard from a
wide range of
experts, including
keynote speaker,
Sabrina Lucatelli,
Policy Adviser
from the
European
Commission, DG
REGIO.
Working in the field of Rural Cohesion
Policy and Territorial Cohesion in the
Department of Environmental Policy,
Sabrina has responsibility for the
implementation of the preparatory
action on “Partnership for Sustainable
Development”.
Sabrina spoke to delegates about
working in rural urban partnership
Find out more about the conference
and SURF project findings inside this
edition or visit our website.
www.sustainablefringes.eu
for sustainable development.
In a film message screened at the
conference, Deputy First Minister of
Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon
recognised the contribution the urban
fringe can make to sustainable
growth and welcomed the success
of the approach taken in Aberdeen.
Highlighting the opportunity for cities
across Scotland and beyond to learn
from and replicate these successes
in their own urban fringes.
The conference was formally opened
by Aberdeen’s Lord Provost, George
Adam.
Connecting Urban & Rural
Conference Update
Gordon McIntosh, Director of
Planning & Infrastructure at Aberdeen
City Council
Gordon has responsibility
for the development of both
physical structure and
development plans for
Aberdeen and the north
east of Scotland as well as
economic development
strategies. Delegates were able to hear
about what the SURF project has meant
to Aberdeen and the River Don Corridor.
Reinhard Henke
PURPLE & METREX Networks
Reinhard is a Senior Policy Advisor
and a Technical
Representative of
his region in both
the METREX and
PURPLE
networks, and regional manager of
the Interreg IVB NWE C-Change
project.
The PURPLE Network is working
strategically to put the peri-urban
zone onto the European map.
Dr Alister Scott RELU Programme &
Professor of Spatial Planning and
Governance, Birmingham City
University
Alister's research
work explores
themes including;
specialist
sustainable rural
land use, spatial planning, public
engagement and landscape problems.
He is currently leading a research-council
funded project 'Managing Change at the
Rural-Urban Fringe' as part of the RELU
initiative (Rural Economy and Land Use).
Rachel Smith
Analyst, Centre for Cities (UK)
Rachel Smith is an
Analyst at Centre for
Cities, developing
evidence and policy
thinking for UK
cities. Centre for Cities is a research
and policy institute, dedicated to develop
and implement policy that supports the
performance of urban economies.
Jon Jordan
UK Contact Interreg IVB North Sea
Region Programme
Jon Jordan is the UK
Contact Point for the North
Sea INTERREG
Programme. Contact Points
assist partners in the
development of project
ideas and the implementation of agreed
projects.
Since 2001, Jon has been a Director
of European Policy Solutions which
gives advice on EU policy developments
and funding opportunities.
Kevin Thomas
Kevin Thomas is Senior Lecturer at
Leeds Metropolitan University.
Kevin is the SURF Work Package 3
leader, looking at “Review and Analysis”
and spoke about the SURF search for
an urban fringe governance model.
Rolf Oldejans
Rolf Oldejans works as an advisor on
spatial policy at the City of Enschede.
Rolf has led on Workpackage 4 for
SURF, “Testing and Implementation”
and was able to present on the regional,
national and European policy
recommendations that have come out
of the SURF project.
Dr Bauke de Vries
Saxion University, Netherlands
Bauke de Vries is a Senior Lecturer at
Saxion University of Applied Science
in Deventer, the Netherlands.
Working to deliver Workpackage 3 for
SURF, Bauke outlined details of a
Toolkit for Urban Fringe Management
which has been delivered as part of
the SURF project.
Expert session
Speakers Included:
Find out more about the Connecting
Urban & Rural Conference on our
website.
SURF Project Manager, Emma
Watt, outlined the conference
aim of building recognition of the
role the urban fringe can play in
enhancing the quality of life of
city regions.
The event also unveiled the
findings of the SURF project,
following a 3 year research
process, which has tapped into
a range of practical urban fringe
projects taking place across
Europe.
New recreational and access
routes, improved green spaces,
increased community
involvement and new
employment opportunities are
just some of the benefits realised
through the range of project
approaches.
This research programme has
produced local, regional and
European policy
recommendations; governance
insights; and led to the
production of a toolkit to assist
the management of urban fringe
areas.
Conference Chair: Huibert Haccou,
Saxion University
The Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF) project has a discussion group
on Linkedin. Why not join the group and have your say?
Visit www.linkedin.com
Join us on Linkedin
Delegates attending the Sustainable
Urban Fringes dissemination
Conference, “Connecting Urban &
Rural” had the opportunity to see
first hand the environmental, social
and economic benefits of SURF
during a study tour along the River
Don corridor, in Aberdeen.
During the tour there was the
opportunity to meet local experts and
community representatives to hear
about the positive impact of the
project and learn more about a new
SURF Extension
The Sustainable Urban Fringes
Project has been granted a 6
month extension which will allow
the project to run to the end of
February 2013.
The extension will be used to
disseminate information and
learning on the final outputs and
report back on how useful these
are in practice.
Representatives from
SURF met the PURPLE
(peri-urban regions
platform europe) Network
in Brussels in September.
The PURPLE Network was
established in 2004 and brings
together members from across
the EU to raise awareness of the
specific peri-urban agenda at
European, national and regional
levels. The network are working
to highlight the need for specific
policies or support for peri-urban
regions in Europe.
SURF has built dialogue with the
network and PURPLE
representatives have spoken at
two Sustainable Urban Fringes
conferences, as well as
commenting on the SURF
position paper and final report.
The meeting allowed further
discussion on opportunities for
the two groups to work together,
following a recent PURPLE
invitation for SURF to join the
network.
Reinhard Henke - PURPLE Network
SURF builds
PURPLE links
city planning framework. The
framework aims to guide and inform
officers in assessing the access,
recreational, landscape, cultural and
historical, environmental, wildlife
and community engagement
implications of any development
proposal along the corridor.
The document is area specific and
primarily integrates aspects of the
Council's Core Paths Plan, Open
Space Strategy, Nature
Conservation Strategy as well as
other strategies, policies and plans
that help deliver a high quality
natural environment and access to
good quality open spaces, which
help to make the River Don Corridor
a place where people want to live,
work and invest.
The publications will be available from
the project website or on request by
emailing:alleslie@aberdeencity.gov.uk
The findings of the SURF
project are set to be released
with the publication of a
SURF Final Report and
Urban Fringe Toolkit.
The documents highlight the findings
of 3 years of research which has
tapped into the direct learning
experiences of a range of practical
urban fringe projects.
They examine information gathered
from projects taking place in SURF
partner city regions and focus on
effective management and
development of the urban fringe.
The SURF Final Report outlines
information on key commitments due
to be delivered under the SURF
project, including:
Approaches to urban fringe
governance.
Regional, national and European
policy recommendations.
Dynamic approaches to urban
fringe planning, development and
management.
The SURF Toolkit brings together
tools that partners have used to
establish urban fringe projects in
their own areas. The Toolkit details
information on the tools used and
aims to inspire others in the
sustainable development of urban
fringe areas.
SURF Findings set for Publication
Tour of River Don
Corridor
SURF Recent
Achievements
Find out more about the SURF partners on our website
www.sustainablefringes.eu
Approval of the River Don
Corridor Spatial Plan in
Aberdeen and publicaion of a
local events booklet....
A second colloquium series
took place in Hamburg and
planning for a third series in
autumn...
A Masterclass Conference on
Ecosystem Services was held
in Norfolk in July...
Approval of a Spatial
Implementation Plan for a
horticultural cluster areas in
East Flanders...
Rondje Enschede launched a
Facebook page to encourage
use of the new recreational
route...
Antwerp held a SWOT meeting
in June bringing together
participants from four
municipalities...
Norfolk published a Community
Toolkit and launched a summer
events guide...
Results of the “Landscape
Vision for the Vegetable Region”
presented at a West
Flanders seminar...
Around 300 people attended the
opening of the reconverted
Stroroute in West Flanders...
The Laarseevent (Day of the
Park) took place in Antwerp in
May highlighting the Laarse
Beek project area and SURF...
Harryda
The project aims to investigate
conditions for restoring walking
tracks to make them more
convenient and attractive for
people living in Gothenburg and
the neighbouring municipalities.
The Municipality of Harryda belongs
to the western region in Sweden and
is a close neighbour with
Gothenburg. Stretching almost 15km
from north to south and 30km from
east to west, it has an area totalling
268 square km.
Forests cover half the area and lakes
about one twelfth. Project work has
included:
Engaging in negotiations with
multiple landowners.
Producing a report, “Green
Corridors in the Gothenburg
Region”.
Analysing the use of land with
respect to regulations at local,
regional and national level,
resulting in a compilation of
knowledge of the Swedish
legislative process.
Stimulating further funding
opportunities to refurbish and
develop existing walking routes.
Leeds Metropolitan
University
CUDEM (Centre for Urban
Development and Environmental
Management) at the University,
undertake research and analysis of
peri-urban spaces.
Work for SURF has included:
Leading project research and
analysis under Work Package 3.
Leading theme research in:
Governance
The role and value of green
spaces
Undertaking a study of urban
fringe governance.
Saxion University
In this newsletter the
spotlight falls on SURF
project partner Harryda and
our academic partners
Leeds Metropolitan
University, UK and Saxion
University, the Netherlands.
Providing a body of knowledge on
the present state of academic and
practical knowledge on the
planning and development of
urban fringes.This was used to
construct a conceptual framework
which was used to steer the project
and show the relevant themes,
issues and processes.
Spatial planning and sustainable
development are important areas of
research in the Centre for Urban
and Environmental Development, at
Saxion University for Applied
Sciences.
Saxion University have led the
development of a SURF Toolkit
for urban fringes.
Leading theme research in:
Spatial planning, including
participation and bottom-up
collaboration
Economy, enterprise and
competitiveness.
Contributing to a range of
overarching SURF outputs.
Project Partners are:
The Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF)
Project is part of the Interreg IVB North
Sea Region Programme and is partly
funded by the European Regional
Development Fund.
Province of Antwerp
www.sustainablefringes.eu
Students at Leeds Metropolitan
University have produced a
comparative study which aims to
identify and compare the challenges
and opportunities facing two
European urban fringe areas in Leeds
and Hamburg.
The MA Town & Regional Planning
students from the School of the Built
Environment, produced the report
following a transnational exchange
of learning to Hamburg. The visit was
Students learn from SURF
to gain an understanding of the
definitions, background and policy
behind sustainable urban fringes.
The study aims to identify the
potential for Leeds and Hamburg to
establish a best practice policy to
tackle the problems associated with
urban fringe areas and help revitalise
both areas.
In addition, the comparative study
will contribute to the work of the
Sustainable Urban Fringes (SURF)
project, of which Leeds and
Hamburg are key partners.
Position Statement
The need to make smarter use of
space to enhance sustainable
urban development in city regions
was underlined in a recent position
paper produced by SURF.
The paper titled “Competitive
advantage for city regions - the
need to create new urban fringe
policy”, was produced to highlight
the multifunctional opportunities
offered by the urban fringe and to
call for greater recognition of these
areas in European planning policy.
The position paper was recently
approved by the North Sea
Commission Sustainable
Development Thematic Group on
the first stage of a journey for
submission to the European
Commission.
Comparative Study on
Leeds and Hamburg
Over 100 stakeholders attended
an event to learn more about the
results of research into sustainable
greenhouse clustering in East
Flanders.
The event was hosted by the
Province of East Flanders in
collaboration with the Provincial
Development Agency.
The potential for developing an
energy cluster was highlighted and
an integral water model proposed.
Sustainable
Greenhouse Cluster
SURF partners Saxion University
presented a paper at the
International Federation for
Housing and Planning, 2012
World Congress in Gothenburg
16 -19 September.
Bradford Metropolitan District
Council and Leeds Metropolitan
University are hosting a city
region conference on 4 October.
The event is aimed at delegates
who have an interest in the
urban-rural fringe areas of the
Leeds City Region and beyond.
The “Quo vadis Suburbia?”
Conference is set to take place
in Hamburg on 24 and 25
January 2013.
Events
View the report on the SURF website.