Giving a spatial structure to the regional development strategies in order to achieve a balanced use of lands and resources for a more sustainable development is not a straightforward task for the regions in Sweden. The reason is the planning monopoly of the municipalities and lack of planning power at the regional level based on the Planning and Building Act. Therefore, using a strategic spatial planning process as a coordination process is a controversial issue in the Swedish planning system. This thesis is dedicated to a case study (Structural picture of Skåne) in order to achieve a better and deeper understanding of the various aspects of such process. This purpose has been followed through collecting quantitative data (semi structured interviews and documents) and analyzing them according to a conceptual framework. The findings demonstrate that in order to meta-governing the network of municipalities in a region, strategic spatial planning process includes meta-governance mechanisms (network design, network framing and network management). The network design mechanism is heavily depends on the legitimacy of the spatial planning process and the initiator (here Region Skåne) is required to increase this legitimacy by working on different aspects of legitimacy. The network framing is to interactively build a consensus among all the actors by developing a common vision for the region and concretize it through common strategies. The scenarios for the future of the region must be developed through discussions and joint interpretation of the facts and analysis rather than being made merely by technical spatial analysis. Otherwise, making the strategies would face lots of misunderstandings, ambiguities and oppositions. Finally, since a complete consensus is not possible, questions and disagreements always exist. In addition, the weaker actors (municipalities) which have limitations and barriers to implement the strategies or put themselves in line with them need constant support from the stronger actors and the Region. Hence, the strategic spatial planning calls for a continuous discussion and support in order to manage the network of municipalities and keep the created picture alive in the background of their comprehensive plans.

Despite considerable expansion in the scope and function of the state with respect to environmental protection, the world’s biological diversity and ecosystem services continue to deteriorate. Finding ways to better govern human-nature relations in cities is an important part of addressing this decline. The aim of this thesis is to explore the potential of social-ecological resilience to inform urban governance in theory and practice, through a focus on strategic spatial planning. Resilience has become an increasingly important urban policy discourse and much hope is placed in its potential to improve urban governance. However, there is an acknowledged gap between social-ecological resilience as an ideal and the ability to govern towards it in practice. At the time this doctoral research commenced there had been no engagement with social-ecological resilience in the planning theory literature and minimal engagement by empirical planning research. It is to this gap the thesis contributes. Social-ecological resilience scholarship is found to offer planning theory a partly new way of understanding complex human-nature relations. This is relevant to calls by planning theorists for more attention to matters of substance, including ecological processes. With respect to practice, planners see potential for social-ecological resilience to critically inform strategic spatial planning, including through the framing of problems, tools for analysis/synthesis and governance options. There are also however, lessons for social-ecological resilience scholarship that emerge from the detailed empirical research which suggests that attention to the politics of the everyday activities of administrators, elected officials, planning officials, conservationists and citizens operating within the so-called ‘mangle of practice’ is critical to explaining the gap between the ideal of governing for urban resilience, and what happens in practice. / <p>At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 4: Manuscript. Paper 5: Manuscript.</p>

This thesis aims to search the contribution of strategic spatial planning to the establishment of democratic governance structures. Within this aim / it discusses strategic spatial planning with respect to its procedural and organizational characteristics and the notion of governance with respect to the issue of participatory democracy. Additionally / it argues that strategic spatial planning includes some conditions including that enhance the development of democratic governance. In doing these / it both covers a theoretical framework and a case study. In the theoretical framework / it encompasses the traditional and contemporary planning approaches in a comparative way and it studies the circumstances that have triggered the emergence of contemporary planning approaches by concentrating on the notions of democracy, participation and dialogue. The theoretical part also discusses the democracy models with respect to different participation patterns, the characteristics of strategic planning and different models of governance. Within these issues / on the theoretical ground, the study presents the components of strategic spatial planning, participation, dialogue and action which enhance the emergence of democratic governance mechanisms. In the case study part / Ankara Strategic Spatial Planning Experience is presented by an insider&rsquo / s point of view by extracting the theory from within the practice. The case study assesses each phase of the planning process within a consideration of the notions of participation, dialogue and action and in the context of organizational structure, dialogical process and action plans. In addition to all / this study embraces action research approach since it has been the research methodology implemented in the case which has fostered the formation of democratic governance mechanisms. The study assesses strategic spatial planning as an interactive approach which challenges participatory democracy while contributing to the emerging governance structures in space. The theoretical research and the case study analysis shows that strategic spatial planning approach enhances the establishment of democratic organizational structures, dialogical processes and inter-institutional relations. Also, the application of a strategic spatial planning approach in Ankara Strategic Spatial Planning Process has triggered cooperation among different governmental and sectoral levels and different spatial scales. Additionally, it has reinforced the construction of social and political capacities of stakeholders. The participatory practice that strategic spatial planning has yielded has had an integrative effect for the organizational structure in space. In conclusion, as the result of broad participation and establishment of dialogical processes, Ankara strategic spatial planning process served as an integrating device for the development of inter-sectoral and inter-institutional relations within dialogue and collaboration among actors. Thereby, as a result of the theoretical research and the case study it is concluded that strategic spatial planning approaches are likely to foster the establishment of democratic governance structures. However / there are some local circumstances that may affect the strategic spatial planning processes to develop an effective organizational structure. The local circumstances including lack of participation culture, active citizenry, the bureaucratic structure, the existing political structure in the locality are some significant factors that affect the process. Hence / this thesis argues that strategic spatial planning processes embrace prominent conditions including / participation, dialogue and action that have an important affect on the formation of democratic governance structures. Nevertheless, the local circumstances have an important weight on the process and its expected results.

There is no single resource so essential to sustaining life and livelihoods than water (UNDP, 2005). Water is furthermore a strategic resource that not only gives life, but is also a catalyst for development; therefore water has to and must be at the centre of all development plans (Buyelwa, 2009). Water can be the limiting factor for economic growth, upliftment and social development due to its scarcity and uneven distribution. Strategic spatial interface and relationship with water resource planning and management is fundamental to development and realisation of spatial potential. Strategic spatial planning has many components of which the Spatial Development Framework forms the key regulation to guide development and inform investment opportunities. The goal of this study is to determine the degree to which water resource management and planning is incorporated in Spatial Development Frameworks in context of strategic spatial planning. Concurrently international strategic spatial planning procedures and water resource management principles are investigated to correlate the local situation with international trends. A Goal Achievement Matrix (GAM) with ten assessment principles is developed as a tool for evaluation of strategic spatial planning and water resource management documents in terms of the local municipal level. This GAM may be used and implemented as a comparative evaluation tool to compare the degree of integration and implementation of water resource management and strategic spatial planning of local municipal authorities internationally. The percentage score as achieved in evaluation of the GAM indicates the degree of integration of water resource management and planning with strategic spatial planning. The cumulative result of the GAM scored 68% which can be used as a degree of comparison in future studies with other local municipalities, even on an international level. Measured in terms of the different authority levels the local level performed the worst with a 50% GAM score whilst the national level has a high GAM score of 86%. The low local level score indicates that exceptional legislation and policies on national level are not sufficient to eradicate poverty, provide water for all and provide for long-term sustainability if the implementation at local level falters. The low local level score may also be attributed to a lack of institutional capacity and lack of appropriate skills. It is concluded that Spatial Development Frameworks (as a component of strategic spatial planning) and water resource management and planning on a local level are not effectively integrated and it is recommended that water resources and planned future development must be effectively managed and integrated in order to ensure sustainable communities at local level. As a planning recommendation, the Guidelines for the Development of Spatial Development Frameworks developed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform must be extended to incorporate the integrative approach between strategic spatial planning and water resource management as a fundamental aspect. The effective integration of water resource management and planning in strategic spatial planning is key to sustainable, equitable and viable communities. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

There is no single resource so essential to sustaining life and livelihoods than water (UNDP, 2005). Water is furthermore a strategic resource that not only gives life, but is also a catalyst for development; therefore water has to and must be at the centre of all development plans (Buyelwa, 2009). Water can be the limiting factor for economic growth, upliftment and social development due to its scarcity and uneven distribution. Strategic spatial interface and relationship with water resource planning and management is fundamental to development and realisation of spatial potential. Strategic spatial planning has many components of which the Spatial Development Framework forms the key regulation to guide development and inform investment opportunities. The goal of this study is to determine the degree to which water resource management and planning is incorporated in Spatial Development Frameworks in context of strategic spatial planning. Concurrently international strategic spatial planning procedures and water resource management principles are investigated to correlate the local situation with international trends. A Goal Achievement Matrix (GAM) with ten assessment principles is developed as a tool for evaluation of strategic spatial planning and water resource management documents in terms of the local municipal level. This GAM may be used and implemented as a comparative evaluation tool to compare the degree of integration and implementation of water resource management and strategic spatial planning of local municipal authorities internationally. The percentage score as achieved in evaluation of the GAM indicates the degree of integration of water resource management and planning with strategic spatial planning. The cumulative result of the GAM scored 68% which can be used as a degree of comparison in future studies with other local municipalities, even on an international level. Measured in terms of the different authority levels the local level performed the worst with a 50% GAM score whilst the national level has a high GAM score of 86%. The low local level score indicates that exceptional legislation and policies on national level are not sufficient to eradicate poverty, provide water for all and provide for long-term sustainability if the implementation at local level falters. The low local level score may also be attributed to a lack of institutional capacity and lack of appropriate skills. It is concluded that Spatial Development Frameworks (as a component of strategic spatial planning) and water resource management and planning on a local level are not effectively integrated and it is recommended that water resources and planned future development must be effectively managed and integrated in order to ensure sustainable communities at local level. As a planning recommendation, the Guidelines for the Development of Spatial Development Frameworks developed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform must be extended to incorporate the integrative approach between strategic spatial planning and water resource management as a fundamental aspect. The effective integration of water resource management and planning in strategic spatial planning is key to sustainable, equitable and viable communities. / Thesis (MArt et Scien (Urban and Regional Planning))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

The connection between the built environment and physical activity has gained newfound attention. Plenty of research and several administrations highlight that how we plan our environments can nudge more people into active living. In Sweden, the act of planning in ways that promote physical activity has been on the agenda a few decades and many local administrations include this perspective in their spatial policies. This intrigues that spatial measures that promote physical activity should be well-known for Swedish planning officials, in addition to being noticeable in the built environment. However, there is often a considerable gap from accepted policies to applied practices as strategic spatial planning and especially the act of implementation are challenging. This thesis sheds light on how accepted spatial policies that promote physical activity have been considered and implemented in the built environment of Katrineholm. Results have been achieved by studying spatial policies, conducting in-depth interviews with planning officials and by analyzing the material thematically via the SPlaMI-framework. The results emphasize that the weakness of policy documents was a reoccurring challenge in the implementation-phase. Further, different actors, so called policy entrepreneurs, was pivotal for the outcomes and connected legal framework also played a crucial role. A surprising finding was that no cooperation between health experts and the planning department had been present, although these types of partnerships are highlighted in previous research. Finally, the absence of evaluation also presented a concern for further advancements.

This thesis aims at analyzing the strategic spatial planning, which has received widespread acceptance both in developed and developing countries. Turkey is one of the countries that has been trying to adopt this new tendency. Recently, Provincial Development Planning has been introduced into the Turkish planning system as a stratgeic planning attempt. This thesis evaluates the Sanliurfa Provincial Development Planning case with respect to a set of criteria / underlines the role of continent factors (specific actors in the process and their roles) in the satisfaction of these criteria / and highlights the role of place-specific factors (quality of social capital, level of economic development) in the planning process. The strategic planning is not merely concerned with the plannng process / but also with implementation and monitoring stages. Therefore, the thesis stresses that these three integral stages --planning, implementation, monitoring-- should be eqaully considered with agents, roles and resources so that the plans can be implemented.

This thesis, firstly, examines the main characteristics of comprehensive and strategic spatial planning and by comparing both planning understandings indicates that strategic spatial planning is thought as more suitable to the demands of both developing and developed countries in the contemporary era. Then, the main argument of the thesis is presented as Ulus Historical Center Conservation and Improvement Plan is an example of a strategic plan prepared for the purposes of conservation (development). In conformity with the general conviction that strategic plan is more flexible, adaptable to changing circumstances, action oriented, open to negotiation by various actors involved in the planning process and allowing participation by beneficiaries of the planning process, this study aims to find out the strategic plan characteristics of Ulus Historical Center Conservation and Improvement Plan by looking at its development stage, main characteristics and the implementation process. As a conclusion, displaying an alternative view and as a planning process Ulus Planning Project is different than the traditional comprehensive conservation (development) plans more displaying the characteristics of strategic spatial planning.

Cette thèse repose sur la mise en exergue du concept d’intermédiation territoriale, considérée comme une dynamique relationnelle et organisationnelle entre acteurs locaux, variable dans le temps et dans l’espace. Le territoire, fruit des interactions et des constructions sociales, jouant ici comme un véritable révélateur de leurs comportements, de leurs pratiques et des processus qui les animent. La réflexion focalise sur l’inscription spatiale des activités économiques, de même que sur les rapports entre acteurs territoriaux qui conduisent à sa formation et sa gestion. La planification stratégique spatialisée, en tant que vision à moyen-long terme de l’organisation spatiale des activités, constitue aussi bien l’objet privilégié d’analyse de ce travail, qu’une porte d’entrée permettant d’interroger le rapprochement entre les pratiques en aménagement et les politiques de développement économique à l’échelle locale. L’enjeu est de pouvoir observer et analyser les cohérences qui sont à l’oeuvre, et demandées à la PSS, autant qu’une nécessité accrue de durabilité. Dans quelles mesures la planification stratégique spatialisée, orchestrée par l’action publique locale, s’inscrit-elle dans un processus d’intermédiation territoriale, voire de façon plus générale, de développement territorial durable ? / This thesis is therefore based on the emphasis of the concept of territorial intermediation we consider a relational and organizational dynamics between local actors, variable in time and space The territory, the result of interactions and social constructs, playing here as a true indication of their behaviors, practices and processes that drive them. Reflecting our focus on spatial registration economic activities, as well as the relationship between territorial actors that lead to its formation and management. The strategic spatial planning as a vision in the medium - long term spatial organization of activities, also constitutes the privileged object of this work as input to query the connection between the door management practices and policies of economic development at the local level. The challenge is to observe and analyze the consistency, required the PSS, as an increased need for sustainability. To what extent the strategic spatial planning, orchestrated by the local public action, it enrolled in a territorial intermediation process, or more generally, for sustainable territorial development ?

L’actuelle reconfiguration de l’activité maritime et portuaire s’accompagne de mutations majeures qui appellent à un renouvellement de la gouvernance des villes portuaires. Trois des principales villes portuaires de la Rangée Nord-Ouest Européenne – à savoir Anvers, Le Havre et Rotterdam – expérimentent la diffusion du paradigme stratégique et la diversité de projets induits.Pour répondre aux enjeux théoriques et opérationnels issus d’un tel contexte, cette thèse est structurée autour de quatre volets – dont l’analyse de l’impact des instruments de planification stratégique sur les processus d’aménagement dans les villes portuaires. L’élaboration d’une méthodologie pertinente pour appréhender la complexité des enjeux d’aménagement des villes portuaires et le nouveau contexte de production des politiques d’aménagement constitue le deuxième volet. L’étude du lien entre planification stratégique et cohérence territoriale en est le troisième. Par ailleurs, il s’agit d’étudier la possibilité de modéliser les différents types de planification stratégique. Cette recherche est conduite selon une méthodologie pluridisciplinaire et une analyse systémique.Outre la méthode d’analyse des démarches stratégiques et de la complexité des villes portuaires, les travaux menés permettent, d’une part, de mieux appréhender la redéfinition actuelle des processus d’aménagement et, d’autre part, d’évaluer l’intégration de la cohérence territoriale dans les politiques d’aménagement des villes portuaires.Enfin, la formalisation théorique des projets stratégiques débouche sur une typologie originale des 3 modèles de planification stratégique mis en évidence à Anvers, au Havre et à Rotterdam. / Port and maritime activity are currently undergoing an important reorganisation. This phenomenon goes hand in hand with prominent evolutions triggering a renewal of port cities governance. Among the Northern Range, three major cities – namely Antwerp, Le Havre and Rotterdam – have been experiencing the spreading of the strategic paradigm followed by a diversity of strategic projects. In order to answer the theoretical and operational issues induced by this renewed context, the research is structured around four axes among which the analysis of strategic planning instruments and its impact on spatial planning processes in port cities. Conceiving a methodology that allows explaining the complexity of port cities constitutes an important challenge. As such, it is the second axis explored. The link between strategic planning and territorial coherence forms the third axis. Finally, the opportunity of modelling strategic planning of port cities is the fourth axis. The research follows a cross-disciplinary approach coupled with a systemic analysis. On top of providing a specific methodology to analyse strategic planning and port cities complexity, the doctoral study contributes to a better understanding of spatial planning processes and their current redefinition. It also produces an evaluation of the way territorial coherence is integrated to spatial planning policies in port cities. Last but not least, the research presents a theoretical formalisation of strategic processes leading to an original typology of the three strategic planning models identified in Antwerp, Le Havre and Rotterdam.