Strategic Spatial Planning and Regional Governance in Europe

Barrie Maguireʹs image of a woman stitching together the Irish landscape reflects the central question behind this Longer View: What will recent strategic spatial planning efforts in Europe give us? In the case of Northern Ireland, the quilt sewn from separate pieces of the landscape might represent that stateʹs desire to establish cohesion while respecting diversity. Albrechts, Healy, and Kunzmann show that there and elsewhere, spatial planning efforts are stitching together new regional patterns for many parts of Europe. Maguire is a graduate of Notre Dame University and comes from a family of artists. He has worked as a creative director at Hallmark Cards, a book designer and illustrator, and a newspaper editorial illustrator. Since visiting Ireland in 1998, he has focused on painting. He lives in Pennsylvania, and more of his work can be seen on his familyʹs Web site, http://www.maguiregallery.com. This article examines recent experiences in Europe in the preparation and use of strategic spatial frameworks to guide territorial development in city regions. It discusses the recent revival of interest in such strategic planning and the driving forces that create the momentum for it. We examine three cases recognised as in the forefront of this revival: the 1996 Spatial Strategy for the Hanover City Region, the 1997 Spatial Structure Plan for Flanders, and the 2001 Northern Ireland Regional Development Strategy. Each is described in terms of context and motivations, policy approaches and concepts, institutional arenas, impacts, and outcomes. The article concludes with general lessons from these cases and the European experience generally for the enterprise of strategic spatial planning.