ESPON INTERSTRAT STRATEGIES IN POLAND ECP POLAND

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2 ESPON INTERSTRAT CONTEXT OF INTEGRATED TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES IN POLAND ECP POLAND 1

3 THE NATIONAL CONTEXT: PLANNING AT VARIOUS ADMINISTRATIVE LEVELS NATIONAL LEVEL The Ministry of Regional Development is the institution responsible for general co-ordination and standardisation of physical planning. The fundamental regulation for spatial planning and land development at the central, regional and local levels is the Land Use and Development Planning Act of 27 March 2003 (LUDPA). This document allocates planning and land development powers and responsibilities between the central government, regional and local authorities. The Ministry of the Environment has guiding and control tasks in respect to environmental issues of spatial planning. Policies set out at the national level define the basic elements of the settlement distribution network with separate focus on metropolitan areas. The policy is in large part an information document; however it partially provides the basis for formulating programs governing the implementation of public interest projects of national importance; in which case, it is binding on public administration authorities (Izdebski, Nelicki, & Zachariasz, 2007). The basic objectives of the national policies are: - Providing natural, cultural, social and economic circumstances, objectives and directions of national spatial policy - Establishing the principle of the spatial system of settlement and infrastructure - Balancing the development of regions - Establishing the basis for sectoral and regional programmes of public tasks REGIONAL LEVEL The regions of Poland are divided into 16 voivodships. The voivodships are self-governing authorities headed by the Marshal of the voivodship and have full responsibility for strategic and spatial planning. A strategy for regional development has to be prepared and adopted in each region by its self-government authorities. The regional body for planning is the Marshal s office and the Department responsible for strategy and development. Other institutions involved are regional development agencies, NGOs, foundations, expert bodies etc. who are also involved in the development and implementation of the regional plans. The task of these regional plans is to formulate the spatial policy of the region based on the following concepts (Izdebski, Nelicki, & Zachariasz, 2007): - Socially agreed objectives and directions of development - Spatial development and settlement organisation - Location of principal public infrastructure and other development programmes - Integration of natural and cultural environment requirements into spatial policy - The concept of balancing regional and local interests with those of the whole country 2

4 COUNTY LEVEL The role of counties in public administration is rather restricted. They have no specific planning competencies. The county has generally a self-governmental character, but at the same time it performs specific tasks commissioned by the State (central government) (Izdebski, Nelicki, & Zachariasz, 2007). LOCAL LEVEL Communes in Poland have a substantial planning responsibility. All local communes are obliged to prepare and approve a local comprehensive planning document. In order to formulate their spatial policies, municipal councils are required to adopt framework studies that set out the ramifications and directions of spatial development (framework studies) for the entire municipal area. A framework study is not an act of local law. Local plans are prepared on basis of framework studies and determine land uses including land designated for public interest projects. They also outline necessary resources and are a formal act of local law (Izdebski, Nelicki, & Zachariasz, 2007). Their tasks are the following: - Identification of the physical development preconditions and directions of the commune - Establishing principles of sustainable territorial and economic development - Functional zoning and indication of areas for housing and other direct investment - General proposals for technical infrastructure systems, location of main roads and other technical networks - Identification of the most important preservation areas (areas of natural, economic and cultural value) - Establishing local planning policy - Determination of boundaries of areas indicated for organized development or revitalization and sites intended for implementation of public programmes Local physical development plans are usually prepared for some parts of the municipality and the main tasks are detailed regulations for - Land use and infrastructure services Establishing and observing local standards and building conditions - Outlining of new building plots The logic behind planning procedure is top-down. National and regional goals and directions have to be taken into account on a local level. Detailed spatial plans are a legal instrument for development permits (Izdebski, Nelicki, & Zachariasz, 2007). Main conclusions: Key processes related to strategy development in Poland take place at national and regional levels. Another crucial planning level, that is still an unsolved issue in Poland is integrated planning in metropolitan areas. 3

5 STATE OF THE ART: SPATIAL COVERAGE WITH LOCAL DEVELOPMENT PLANS Cities with the status of counties can be characterized by most advanced progress in covering the land with local plans. This however does not apply to metropolitan areas. On average 30% of municipalities have updated their local plans and in case of cities with county right this ratio was 66%. About 90% communes have their local plans, however majority was constructed under the 1994 act and does not meet the requirements of the new law adopted in 2003 (Śleszyński, Komornicki, Zielinska, & Stępniak, 2009). Fig. 1. State of incorporation of new and old legislation in local plans. Source: Report on state and conditions of planning activities in communes in 2008 (Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization- Polish Academy of Sciences) Only 25,6 % of land is covered by the plans coherent with valid legal acts. There are evident regional disparities in terms of land covered by plans with highest rates in Eastern and South- Eastern areas of Poland (in particular along the A4 motorway) and lowest rates in the north of the country. The best coverage applies to two metropoles: Gdańsk (90%) and Wrocław (38%) (Śleszyński, Komornicki, Zielinska, & Stępniak, 2009). Maps 1a, 1b. Share of county area covered with plans at various stages of new law incorporation. Source: Report on state and conditions of planning activities in communes in 2008 (Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization- Polish Academy of Sciences) 4

6 Main conclusions: Only few areas in Poland have valid and coherent local plans Most administrative units in Poland can be caracterised by planning process in progress. There are visible regional disparities in the advancement of planning processes. POLISH TERRITORY POTENTIALS FOR EXPERTISE DEMANDS TRANSNATIONAL SETTING Map 2. Source: (KPZK, 2011) 5

7 National Spatial Arrangement Concept (January 2011) directly relates to ESPON results (ESPON 3.2 Scenarios on the territorial future of Europe, 2007) and involves Territorial Development Perspective for the Baltic Sea region (VASAB, 2009) in terms of analysing transnational conditions for the territorial development in Poland. The perspective of 2030 foresees ongoing dynamic international integration of the Polish territory. In particular, Polish metropolitan areas will be more functionally connected to the EU metropolitan network stretching from Northern Italy to London. Other relations will involve integration between Warsaw and other capital cities related to their administrative, cultural and academic functions, especially Berlin, which thanks to tis rank and transnational role might contribute and improve functional territorial development of Western Poland. In a broader context, some of the ESPON results allow to identify a potential growth area alternative to the Pentagon area, that is the Baltic Sea Region. Since Poland is located within the direct impact of these two transnational growth areas it implicates further conditions for the development of the Polish territory. Unlike Pentagon with its diversity, Baltic Sea Area is characterised by complementarity of functions, that might potentially strongly contribute to cooperation. Main conclusions: ESPON results have already proved to be very useful in identifying the transnational conditions of the development of the Polish territory. ESPON results show that apart from Pentagon there might be an alternative growth area located in the Baltic Sea region and Poland is within the direct impact of these two areas. In a smaller scale ESPON results allowed to identify a zone of potential intensive integration processes located along western border and related to the impact of Berlin. EU metropolitan network is crucial for further economic, social, cultural and territorial integration of the Polish territory with the EU. Policymakers, practitioners and expert bodies at national level are already aware of the ESPON findings and to some extent include them in the creation of Integrated Territorial Development Strategies. VISIONS The latest version of the National Spatial Arrangement Concept (January 2011) sets out a vision of spatial and territorial cohesion of the Polish territory in According to this vision the territory of Poland in 2030 will be characterized by diversity of localization economic growth poles between various regions and in the urban-rural dimension. Regardless of the location all citizens shall have good access to basic goods such as ICT, transport and business infrastructure and services education, healthcare, culture. It shall guarantee sustainable development of social capital and inclusion of inhabitants in development processes in the place of their residence or in the town and cities accessible within 2 hours-long journey. Territorial dimension of public policies in this vision shall be ensured through a system of an active regional policy and 6

8 equalization of chances embedded in sectoral policies. The main goals include improving accessibility to main regional centres (max. 2-hours reach) and broadband connectivity, exploiting endogenous territorial potentials (natural, touristic, social, cultural) through smart infrastructural and institutional development. Map 3. Source: (KPZK, 2011) Main conclusions: Vision setting out the main directions of the spatial integration and cohesion of the Polish territory in 2030 clearly relates to the findings of ESPON projects. There might be further need of ESPON results useful on national level and regional and local levels especially in terms of cross-border area between Poland, Germany and Czech Republic, which shall be characterized by growing interaction and integration and therefore demand transnational expertise. ECONOMIC FUNCTIONS Map 4 shows the functional variety of communes in Poland in terms of their economic profile. It indicates the mosaic pattern of local development. The presented data and analyses showed the following picture of spatial divisions:(a) Warsaw and its functional area, (b) other large cities and their functional areas and (c) the rest of the country (Ministry for Regional Development, 2010). 7

9 Map 4. Economic profile of Polish communes (2008) Source: P. Śleszyński (Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization- Polish Academy of Sciences) Main conclusions: Knowledge demand on the level of local and regional planning is determined by the economic profile of particular areas. In case of Poland the picture is very diverse, which makes it difficult to address all of potential stakeholders with adequate expertise and research results. Therefore the demand of stakeholders interested in ESPON results should be diagnosed at very early stage of ESPON INTERSTRAT activities to engage these groups of practitioners that might benefit from the foreseen project activities. 8

10 PROBLEMATIC AREAS Map 5. Problematic areas A more holistic approach can be applied to addressing the needs of local and regional authorities that are responsible for spatial management of areas identified as problematic. Map 5. shows spatial structure of problematic areas of various kinds. Some of them have been identified at national and some on regional level. In terms of ESPON results this approach is coherent with many ESPON typologies, especially the specific areas. A combination of problematic area terminology with ESPON typology-specific results might lead to very practical and useful guidelines for Polish stakeholders. Main conclusions: ESPON provides a very innovative and interesting source of infomrmation in case of areas identified as problematic. 9

11 HEXAGONAL MODEL OF DEVELOPMENT Maps 6a,b,c,d. Hexagonal model of spatial connections in Poland The idea of a central hexagon in Poland is a step away from the vision present in the National Spatial Arrangement Concepts from 2001 and 2005, which were based on West-East axis of development and TEN-T corridors. The hexagon incorporates latest trends and preconditions of development identified as most crucial in Polish context. This model is also an answer and alternative to scenarios od settlement development presented in ESPON results. It reflects the 10

12 process of growing metropolisation and spatial enlargement of metropolitan areas driven by the development and concentration of knowledge-based economy (KPZK, 2008). RECENT PROGRESS IN SHIFT TOWARDS INTEGRATED PLANNING. National Spatial Arrangement Concept sets out national spatial policy (KPZK) National spatial policy is set out in a National Spatial Arrangement Concept that was thoroughly revised by expert body and set out to public debate in Debate includes lots of meetings and seminars with stakeholders such as regional authorities, working groups, planners, local, regional and national experts and expert bodies (KPZK, 2008). The result is an expert version of spatial arrangement concept that outlines a broad vision of spatial development of Poland and territorial development of the country until Experts underline main areas that require interdisciplinary cooperation and coordination. The working document is a starting point to development of an official government strategy (KPZK, 2008), (KPZK, 2011). TERRITORIALIZATION OF SECTORAL POLICIES NATIONAL STRATEGY OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT (KSRR) Sets out goals of regional policy in Poland in general as well as for each region in particular. It also provides integrated strategies for urban and rural regions and defines relations among various sectoral public policies for a territorial point of view. KSRR integrates potentially opposing growth development interests and has a multi-level dimension by defining national, regional and local tasks in achieving aims of the strategy. The strategy is focused on diagnosis and exploitation of endogenous potentials and reinforcing growth diffusion mechanisms around main national growth poles. Regional policy set out by KSRR will contribute to creating regional identities and improvement of regional competitiveness and cohesion. It shall also improve territorial cohesion by creating functional connections among majour regional centres and their surroundings, counteracting social marginalisation and minimising development gaps between regions. KSRR introduces a new paradigm of regional policy in Poland, which incorporates the territorial dimension and focuses on spatial rather than on sectoral perspective: Shift from traditional resource redistribution towards approach strengthening territorial potentials; Shift from division inter- and intra-regional policies towards integrated regional policy aimed at functional areas; 11

13 Shift from short-term and top-bottom compensatory subsidies for least privileged areas towards long-term decentralized development policies; Multisectoral and horizontal approach to growth, concentrated and selective public interventions; better coordination of public policies; Multi-level governance with stronger regional competences; Incorporation of latest trends, such as: evidence-based policy, place-based approach IDEA OF DRAFT ACT ON METROPOLITAN AREAS IN POLAND The discussion on statutory regulation of the issue of metropolitan areas in Poland is carried out for many years now. Works within the scope resulted in a draft Act on urban policies and cooperation between territorial self-government units within the scope. The need for statutory regulation of the issue of metropolitan areas development follows, above all, from the lack of relevant planning tools at the sub-regional level.metropolitan areas in Poland consist of a large number of administrative units, for which individual local selfgovernments are responsible, i.e. communes. Communes are both large cities cores of metropolitan areas, as well as small suburban communes which form the area of impact of a large city. In general, officially the metropolitan area consists of many communes; however, actually it is an integrated settlement organism in terms of functional aspects (Sztando, 2008). Each commune self-government implements its own tasks within the scope of spatial development planning at the local level. However, the planning is often done without cooperation or consultation with the self-governments of neighbouring communes, which are also situated within the metropolitan areas. As a result, many local spatial development plans are created on a single metropolitan area, which are often non-consistent and correlated between each other. Lack of coordination and cooperation between communes prevents efficient spatial planning for the whole metropolitan area. It is a very important problem as implementation of priority projects for the entire metropolitan area faces major difficulties (Izdebski, Nelicki, & Zachariasz, 2007). Taking account of the large number of stakeholders at various levels of administrative development the draft Act still raises many controversies. The local and regional selfgovernments are most interested in the decision which urbanized areas will be granted the status of metropolitan areas. In this respect the major issue are the criteria, and as a result much discussion focuses around them. In line with the draft Act three areas can be sure of being awarded the status of metropolitan areas: Warsaw, Upper Silesia conurbation and Tri-city (Szlachta & Zaucha, 2010). 12

14 BIBLIOGRAPHY ed. Matczak, R. (2005). The pomorskie voivodeship development strategy. Structure. Gdańsk: Office of the Marshal of the Pomorskie Voivodeship. Izdebski, H., Nelicki, A., & Zachariasz, I. (2007). Land Use and Development. Polish Regulatory Framework and Democratic Rule of Law Standards. Area. Warsaw. KPZK, Z. E. N. do S. Z. P.-S. K. (2008). Ekspercki projekt koncepcji przestrzennego zagospodarowania kraju do roku Warsaw: Ministry of Regional Development. Ministry for Regional Development. (2010). Polish background report for OECD national urban policy reviews. Part I Diagnosis of the condition of Polish cities. Development. Warsaw. Ploszaj A., Wojnar. K. (2009). Analiza sieci współpracy ośrodków naukowo-badawczych przykład programu ESPON, Studia Regionalne i Lokalne, nr. 4(38)/2009. Szlachta, J., & Zaucha, J. (2010). A new paradigm of the EU regional development in the context of the Poland s National Spatial Development Concept. Development. Sopot. Sztando, A. (2008). Typowe problemy planowania strategicznego w polskich samorządach. Ekonomiczne i organizacyjne instrumenty wspierania rozwoju lokalnego i regionalnego rozwój, innowacyjność, infrastruktura. Ekonomiczne problemy usług, Zeszyty Na(22), Śleszyński, P., Komornicki, T., Zielinska, B., & Stępniak, M. (2009). Raport o stanie i uwarunkowaniach prac planistycznych w gminach na koniec 2008 roku (pp. 1-50). Warsaw. 13

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