Changing spatial planning systems and the role of the regional government level; Comparing the Netherlands, Flanders and England



also be via this informal path that harmonization can take place between the regional and the
local level in the setting up of the local development framework.

Integration

In addition to the conformity of spatial policy between the government levels, the integration
of spatial policy with sector policy is also of importance. In both the Netherlands and Flanders
the regional government is also hard at work with the integration of area-directed policy, in
particular for the rural areas. In any case, this integration takes place to some extent via the
formal spatial planning context. In the English system it is just this integration with other
policy (transport, economy) that is an essential component of the Regional Spatial Strategy.

Flexibility

In order to give subsidiarity form and substance it is of importance that the government can
also react flexibly to developments at the specific scale level. The impression is given that the
Flemish system is particularly sluggish in this respect. The strict planning hierarchy, through
which strategic plans are required at all government levels for the whole region, has led for
example to hardly any strategic plans being drawn up at the local level. Local authorities wait
for the provincial strategic plan, because they have to conform to it. It is doubtful whether the
government levels in Flanders are independent to a sufficient extent. The solution proposed
for the Netherlands, where strategic plans are not mandatory and conformity only takes place
via the binding plans, gives the regional level more scope for its own policy. In England this
flexibility in the system is expressly present through the development-led character of the
planning system.

Role in the implementation

In England the development of the role of the region depends on the fact that eventually a
democratically elected chamber is to be expected at this level. For integration with related
policy such as economic development, welfare, healthcare, and education and increased
support of the social and market parties, direct involvement in the Regional Planning Bodies
is of great value. But no role is to be expected of an active party in supralocal spatial planning
projects as is the case in the Netherlands or, to a lesser extent, in Flanders.

In conclusion

How has the role of the region changed in the three countries? While the focus in the new role
for the English region is on planning instruments and institutional framework for the strategic
role, the Flemish province has become better equipped for both the strategy and
implementation role. Compared with the other two countries the Dutch province already had
competences at its disposal for the strategic role, so that the changes concern a reinforcement
of the implementation role.

In this article we have concentrated in particular on a system comparison. The most relevant
question is how successfully planning practice proceeds under the new system. It is too early
to be able to assess this in all three countries. Only in Flanders has the new role of the region
become sufficiently extended to permit an evaluation of planning practice. Since in the
Netherlands only the first parts of policy and legislation have been settled, the precise role of
the province (and that of the city-region) cannot be completely overseen. Although in England
the structure of legislation is in place, the institutional framework is still in a state of flux. The
regions are heavily involved in getting started with the development and establishment of
Regional Spatial Strategies and the conformity in the first Local Development Frameworks is
only a question of time. It is still too early to determine whether the newly-constructed

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