National Spatial Strategy Summary
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NATIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY SUMMARY Creating space for development 1 Interdepartementaal Project Nota Ruimte NATIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGY - SUMMARY - Creating space for development Contents: 1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 2 2. POLICY OBJECTIVES.................................................................................................................... 3 3. PHILOSOPHY OF GOVERNANCE ................................................................................................ 5 4. TOOLS AND IMPLEMENTATION .................................................................................................. 7 5. CONCENTRATION OF URBANISATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE ........................................... 8 6. BASIC QUALITY STANDARDS FOR CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES AND ACCESSIBILITY12 7. GOING WITH AND ANTICIPATING THE FLOW ......................................................................... 15 8. INVESTING IN THE QUALITY OF NATURE ............................................................................... 17 9. DEVELOPING LANDSCAPES WITH QUALITY........................................................................... 19 10. DEVELOPMENT PERSPECTIVES PER REGION .................................................................... 21 11. SPECIFIC THEMES.................................................................................................................... 27 1. INTRODUCTION The National Spatial Strategy contains the government’s views on the spatial development of the Netherlands and the most important objectives associated with that development. In accordance with the government’s coalition agreement, the strategy represents the contribution of national spatial planning into a strong economy, a safe and liveable society and an attractive country. The Implementation Agenda for the strategy provides insights into the most important spatial investments and implementation activities with respect to the policy. The National Spatial Strategy sets out national spatial policy up until 2020; the long-term aspects cover the period from 2020-2030. The National Spatial Strategy and other national policy documents The new National Spatial Strategy replaces the current national strategies on spatial planning and/or the national spatial planning key decisions (PKBs in Dutch) that were part of the Supplement to the Fourth National Policy Document on Spatial Planning (Vierde nota over de ruimtelijke ordening Extra) (and its update in the VINAC) and the Second National Structure Plan for Green Areas. In addition to the National Spatial Strategy, a few other national planning key decisions will be taken. For example, regional strategies will be drawn up for the Wadden Sea and the area covering the major rivers: the PKB Third Policy Document on the Wadden Sea and the PKB ‘Space for the Rivers’. Background The government has recently adopted the National Spatial Strategy. The basis for this strategy - the Fifth National Policy Document on Spatial Planning and Second National Structure Plan for Green Areas (Vijfde Nota over de Ruimtelijke Ordening and Tweede Structuurschema Groene Ruimte/SGR2) - were drawn up by the previous government, under Prime Minister Kok. During this period of government, preparatory work was also carried out on the National Traffic and Transport Plan (Nationaal Verkeers- en Vervoersplan). All three of these policy documents followed the procedure 2 required for a national spatial planning key decision (PKB), but none was instituted during the term of that government. The current National Spatial Strategy integrates and completes the current (PKB) procedures of the Fifth National Spatial Planning Policy Document and the Second National Structure Plan on Green Areas, so that attention can now be focused on implementation of the policy. It is primarily the method of governance (the ‘how’) rather than the policy content (the ‘what’) that has changed compared to previous plans. The most important objectives, policy concepts and basic principles that were announced in previous policy plans have been adopted by the present government. The adjustments have primarily been made in the number and types of tools to be utilised. The earlier policy plans, formulated in part 1 of both PKB’s, provided sufficient scope for a change in emphasis in the National Spatial Strategy in the way preferred by the current government. The public responses to the initial policy plan are still very relevant and have been taken into consideration in the new government statement in the National Spatial Strategy. The same applies to the recommendations that have been made and the results of the parliamentary discussions. The ex- ante evaluation carried out jointly by the national spatial, social, economic, nature and environmental planning agencies, the evaluation on the emancipatory effects of the policy and the advice on Spatial Development Politics by the Advisory Council on Government Policy (WRR) have also been explicitly included in this process, as was the Position Paper on National Spatial Policy (Stellingnamebrief Nationaal Ruimtelijk Beleid) published by the previous government. Fewer rules and regulations dictated by central government, more scope for local and regional considerations, more development planning and less development control planning were among the more frequent suggestions. The changing economic prospects and the problems of creating a liveable environment in the major cities were also reasons to give more weight to the public responses that demanded attention for such issues. Many people felt that a clear, decisive national vision was lacking, as was coherence in the content and implementation of the national policy. The National Spatial Strategy, with its nationwide vision and the associated Implementation Agenda was this government’s response to this criticism. With respect to the earlier policy proposals (part 1 of the PKB), the number of rules and regulations imposed by central government on others has been reduced, while creating more scope for local and regional governments, social organisations, private actors and the citizens themselves. The role of the provinces has been strengthened. The government acknowledges that there are differences between the provinces and that these may become greater given the additional scope for local and regional considerations. However, as long as the basic quality standards are safeguarded, such differences may in the end be very attractive for the Netherlands as a whole. 2. POLICY OBJECTIVES The main goal of national spatial policy is to create space for the different functions that demand it, on the limited surface area that we have available to us in the Netherlands. More specifically, the government focuses on four general objectives: strengthening the international competitive position of the Netherlands, promoting strong cities and a vibrant, dynamic countryside, securing and developing important national and international spatial values, and ensuring public safety. Strengthening the international competitive position of the Netherlands A faltering economy and growing international competition compel us to strengthen the economy and international competitive position of the Netherlands. Wherever possible, the National Spatial Strategy 3 removes spatial obstacles to economic growth. The range of attractive places to locate businesses, both in general and with respect to links in the agricultural chain, and an effective approach to tackling traffic congestion, are crucial in this context. Bottlenecks occur mainly in the major cities and the two main ports, where high-production economic activities take place and agglomeration advantages can be exploited. The integrated planning advocated by the National Spatial Strategy must also ensure that the innovative opportunities and potentials inherent in prominent knowledge clusters in regions such as Eindhoven, Wageningen, greater Amsterdam, the southern wing of the Randstad urban agglomeration, Utrecht, Twente and Groningen can be fully exploited. Based on the area’s very prominent international position in the field of research and development, the Eindhoven/South East Brabant region has been included in the strategy as a brainport. Since many knowledge clusters are located along the A2 motorway (Amsterdam-Maastricht) this major road is sometimes referred to as a knowledge axis. Strong cities and a vibrant, dynamic countryside The problems in the major and medium-sized cities relating to social and economic factors and the liveability of the urban environment demand an appropriate response from the national government. The differences between rich and poor urban districts, but also between relatively poor, multicultural cities and relatively prosperous, largely native Dutch surrounding regions, require a whole range of measures to deal with the different issues. Some of these measures include spatial considerations. To prevent an unbalanced population structure from developing, the national government is encouraging more variation in the types of housing provided. In the cities in particular, more high-quality housing options are needed. This prevents the middle-class and the higher income groups from leaving the city. At the same time, urban renewal and restructuring are urgently required to increase the liveability of the cities. The cities cannot deal with these problems on their own. The surrounding municipalities