Land use planning in the Netherlands; finding a balance between rural development and protection of the environment

In the Netherlands rural development is subjected to several forms of planning. Three planning systems exist: spatial planning, environmental planning and water management. However, the origins of these systems cannot be found in problems of rural development, but in the problems of urbanization and industrialization. The planning systems can be seen as reactions to different aspects of these societal processes. The physical environment of rural areas as a joint object of planning is a new phenomenon. Integrating rural development and the problems linked to it such as nonpoint pollution by agriculture, in the systems of planning, mentioned before, turned out to be a difficult task. New regional strategies emerged to tackle this problem: ammonia reduction plans and the blue-knit strategy. Both strategies offer an interesting perspective in finding a balance between rural development and protection of the physical environment.