Defris Partners: ÖSTSAM – Regional Development Council Of
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ÖSTSAM – Regional Development Council of Östergötland, SE Regional Council of Central Finland, FI Defris Partners: Regional Council of Pohjois – Savo, FI Kaunas County Governor´s Administration, LT Regional Authority of Kujawsko-Pomorskie Voivodeship, PL Defris – DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST DIVISION REGIONS A project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the BSR INTERREG III B Programme Publisher Regional Council of Central Finland Address: Sepänkatu 4, 40100 JYVÄSKYLÄ, Finland Tel.: +358- (0) 20 7560 200 E-mail: [email protected] http://www.keskisuomi.fi Editor Satu Heikkinen Publication B160 ISBN 978-951-594-301-9 ISBN 978-951-594-302-7 (electronic) ISSN 0788-7043 Edition: 50 copies Cover: Rafal Modrzewski Printing: University of Jyväskylä, University Printing House, 2007 SUSTAINABLE REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES AND NETWORKS April 2007 Work Package 3 Sustainable Regional Development Strategies and Networks Central Finland Contents Introduction 2 Methodology 5 Project reports 8 1. Regionalization – study and strategy Activity A: Aspects on developing Central Finland’s competitiveness 9 Activity B: Central Finland Promotion Event 17 2. Commercial service networks and future scenarios Activity C: Commercial services of Central Finland, Commercial centres and the developmental potential of trade 21 3. Studies of potential for business and traffic Activity D: The Development Plan of Hirvaskangas 32 Activity E: Road 9 Development Zone Jämsä-Jyväskylä-Hankasalmi 37 Dissemination 46 Transnationality and conclusions 48 Appendix 1: Target development zones 50 Appendix 2: Project information formulas (3) 52 Defris – DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST DIVISION REGIONS A project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the BSR INTERREG III B Programme 2 200 Introduction The purpose of Defris project is to enhance the competitiveness of the medium-sized regions in the sphere of influence of the metropolitan areas. It aims to answer to the questions of how these first division regions can benefit from the growth of metropolitan areas through developing cooperation and networks. The Defris regions have a special development and growth potential of their own in terms of size and location. The partners of DEFRIS project in Sweden, Finland, Lithuania and Poland belong to the First Division of these countries. Central Finland is a first division region located outside the metropolitan region of the capital Helsinki, but still within its area of influence. Other areas which have an impact on Central Finland’s growth and development are the Tampere Region to the south-west and the Kuopio region to the north-east of Central Finland. The Defris project is divided into four items (Work Packages) and implemented during 2004 - 2007. The four –part structure of implementation has been particularly important to the progress of the project, learning and fruitful international cooperation. The project started with Work Package 1 and 2, in which background information was collected concerning the conditions in the partner countries and the field of regional development. The strategic focus of Work Package 3 was on the development projects of the First Division Regions. The fourth Work Package consists of the dissemination of the project results. This Central Finland’s partner report of Work Package 3 describes the results of the strategic regional projects implemented in Central Finland, as well as outlining the conclusions of the international cooperation. The choice of strategic regional projects implemented in Work Package 3 in Central Finland was affected both by the location of the region and by its characteristic starting points. Thus, in Central Finland we have looked for answers to the questions of the Defris project by implementing strategic projects based on the following four starting points (I-IV): I Development zones as a factor for the regional development According to a study “Regional development zones in regional development” the aim of the regional development zones is to combine economic growth with balanced development by directing development in a zonal way between the growth centers and in the vicinity of urban areas. Large roads, railroad, or waterway forms the main structure of regional development zones.1 The underlining idea is that as the growth areas expand, the surrounding areas are assimilated into one urban structure from the point of view of employment areas, business life and public service structure. The growth pattern described above seems to develop along the lines of traffic as a chain-like structure called a development zone. The thinking behind the development zone process has been seen as the way to the holistic and balanced regional development. On the other hand it is a tool in guiding the growth trend towards beneficial development for the region. In Central 1 Regional development zones in regional development, Jauhiainen & Harvio & Luukkonen& Moilainen, Ministry of the Interior Finland, Publications 22/ 2007, http://www.intermin.fi/julkaisu/222007 Defris – DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST DIVISION REGIONS A project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the BSR INTERREG III B Programme 3 200 Finland the most attractive development zones in terms of housing, employment and traffic are: the Jyväskylä region in relation to the Helsinki area as interregional development zone, Tampere- Jyväskylä-Kuopio as interregional development zone and Jämsä-Jyväskylä-Äänekoski development zone as regional development zone. Information on Central Finland growth corridors was gathered during Work Package 1 and 2. This identification and visualization of development zones was used as basis for the chosen strategic projects during Work Package 3. The identification of the development zones, Appendix 1. Central Finland, as a Defris region, alongside to the Helsinki metropolitan area, has its own distinct features. The location of the region is good, but the traffic accessibility at the moment is incompetent. For example compared with the direction of Tampere and Oulu, the region lacks international air connections and a fluent highway connection to the capital region. Central Finland is located 270 kilometres north of Helsinki. Other major growth centres are Tampere 150 kilometres to the south-west and Kuopio 147 kilometres to the north-east. Travelling time from the centre of Helsinki to Jyväskylä is at fastest 2 hours by plane including trips to the airport etc., 3 hours by train and 3 hours by car. Commuting to the metropolitan area with the current connections is presently too long of a distance. II Sustainability of services At the same time, the sparsely populated areas of Central Finland outside the growth centres and development zones suffer from out migration and deterioration of the service structure. One of the indicators for service structure from the point of view of the consumers is the development of retail and specialized trade as well as the basic services provided by the municipalities. From the point of view of the rural areas, the scattered spatial structure reflects in practice to daily traffic conditions, trade and municipal service structure. Therefore, the effect of growth centres is twofold. The attractive centres create potential and positive growth circumstances, but on the other hand the concentration of functions can be seen diminishing the competitiveness of rural areas. The trend of concentrating and diffusing spatial structure is hierarchic: the relation of the metropolitan area to Central Finland is relative to the relation of Jyväskylä region to the smaller centres in Central Finland. III Competitiveness of the region On the other hand, as Central Finland is located that far from the capital region, it has aptitude to develop as an independent and appealing functional area benefiting from the growth of the metropolitan region. The opportunity to respond to the growth of the Helsinki capital area can be for example by offering experts to the sectors short of employees, by providing good operational conditions for new businesses outside the metropolitan region, by serving as a base for outsourced functions of the businesses and regionalized public service functions. It can been clearly seen that Central Finland has a special potential to benefit from the growth of the Helsinki region. A survey made by TNS Gallup in the fall of 2006 claimed the Jyväskylä region in Central Finland as one of the most attractive urban regions measured by the attractiveness of trade in the area. Every third resident in Jyväskylä is a student and the University of Jyväskylä is one of Defris – DEVELOPMENT OF FIRST DIVISION REGIONS A project part-financed by the European Union (European Regional Development Fund) within the BSR INTERREG III B Programme 4 200 the most popular in the country. The university houses three of the 18 top research units appointed by the Academy of Finland in December 2006. Central Finland has many internationally operating businesses and the area is a strong actor in metal, wood and electronics industries as well as in the fields of graphic design and communication. The region has a specific appeal in the fields of trade, basic industries, education and research. Central Finland is also known for the conference and trade fair services and facilities. For instance, during 2006 552 different kind of events took place in Jyväskylä Paviljonki. The Jyväskylä Fair Ltd as part of Jyväskylä Paviljonki services