Technical Report - 2011 - 050 Report on best practices for limiting soil sealing and mitigating its effects April 2011 Europe Direct is a service to help you find answers to your questions about the European Union New freephone number: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 A great deal of additional information on the European Union is available on the Internet. It can be accessed through the Europa server (http://ec.europa.eu). ISBN : 978-92-79-20669-6 doi : 10.2779/15146 © European Communities, 2011 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. FINAL REPORT Overview of best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU-27 Project co-ordination: Luca Marmo and Thomas Strassburger European Commission – DG Environment Authors: Gundula Prokop, Heide Jobstmann and Arnulf Schönbauer Environment Agency Austria April 11, 2011 Final Report Overview of best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU-27 Overview of best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU-27 Study contracted by the European Commission, DG Environment Project co-ordination: Luca Marmo and Thomas Strassburger (European Commission – DG Environment) Authors: Gundula Prokop, Heide Jobstmann, Arnulf Schönbauer Environment Agency Austria Maps: Christine Gassner Environment Agency Austria 2 Final Report Overview of best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU-27 CONTENTS Executive Summary .................................................................... 15 1 Introduction .................................................................. 24 1.1 Definition of soil sealing and related terms ............................. 24 1.2 The broader context of soil sealing ........................................ 27 1.3 Available data on artificial surface, sealing and land take ......... 28 1.3.1 The extent of artificial surfaces and sealed surfaces in 2006 ........................30 1.3.2 Changes in land use intensity between 1990 and 2006 ................................32 1.3.3 Annual land take before and after 2000.........................................................35 1.3.4 Rapidly growing countries and regions..........................................................37 1.3.5 Summary .......................................................................................................41 2 Overview of existing Policies to reduce and mitigate soil sealing in the EU and Member States ............................... 42 2.1 Relevant policy at EU level (short outline) .............................. 42 2.2 Austria............................................................................... 45 2.2.1 Land take and sealing ...................................................................................45 2.2.2 Policies of interest .........................................................................................46 2.2.3 Best practice..................................................................................................49 2.2.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................50 2.3 Belgium.............................................................................. 51 2.3.1 Land take and sealing ...................................................................................51 2.3.2 Policies of interest .........................................................................................53 2.3.3 Best practice..................................................................................................55 2.3.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................55 2.4 Bulgaria (short country profile) .............................................. 57 2.5 Cyprus (short country profile)................................................ 60 2.6 Czech Republic ................................................................... 62 2.6.1 Land take and sealing ...................................................................................62 2.6.2 Policies of interest .........................................................................................63 2.6.3 Best practice..................................................................................................65 2.6.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................65 2.7 Denmark............................................................................. 67 2.7.1 Land take and sealing ...................................................................................67 2.7.2 Policies of interest .........................................................................................68 2.7.3 Best practice..................................................................................................69 2.7.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................69 2.8 Estonia .............................................................................. 70 2.8.1 Land take and sealing ...................................................................................70 2.8.2 Policies of Interest .........................................................................................71 2.8.3 Conclusions ...................................................................................................72 2.9 Finland .............................................................................. 73 3 Final Report Overview of best practices for limiting soil sealing or mitigating its effects in EU-27 2.9.1 Land take and sealing ...................................................................................73 2.9.2 Policies of interest .........................................................................................75 2.9.3 Best practice..................................................................................................76 2.9.4 Conclusions ...................................................................................................77 2.10 France ............................................................................... 78 2.10.1 Land take and sealing .................................................................................78 2.10.2 Policies of interest .......................................................................................79 2.10.3 Best practice................................................................................................81 2.10.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................81 2.11 Germany ............................................................................ 82 2.11.1 Land take and sealing .................................................................................82 2.11.2 Policies of interest .......................................................................................84 2.11.3 Best practice................................................................................................90 2.11.4 Conclusions .................................................................................................91 2.12 Greece (short country profile) ............................................... 92 2.13 Hungary (short country profile) .............................................. 94 2.14 Ireland ............................................................................... 96 2.14.1 Land take and sealing .................................................................................96 2.14.2 Policies of interest .......................................................................................97 2.14.3 Conclusions .................................................................................................99 2.15 Italy .................................................................................100 2.15.1 Land take and sealing ............................................................................... 100 2.15.2 Policies of interest ..................................................................................... 102 2.15.3 Best practice.............................................................................................. 103 2.15.4 Conclusions ............................................................................................... 103 2.16 Latvia (short country profile) ................................................104 2.17 Lithuania (short country profile)............................................106 2.18 Luxembourg .......................................................................107 2.18.1 Land Take and sealing .............................................................................. 107 2.18.2 Policies of interest ..................................................................................... 108 2.18.3 Conclusions ............................................................................................... 110 2.19 Malta (short country profile).................................................111 2.20 The Netherlands .................................................................112 2.20.1 Land take and sealing ............................................................................... 112 2.20.2 Policies of interest ..................................................................................... 114 2.20.3 Best practice.............................................................................................. 115