Are Spatial Planning Objectives Reflected in the Evolution of Urban Landscape Patterns? A Framework for the Evaluation of Spatial Planning Outcomes

Simona Grădinaru,Anna Hersperger,Ileana Pătru-Stupariu,Cristian Iojă

doi:10.3390/su9081279

Abstract

The evaluation of spatial planning results, or outcomes, has been rather neglected by scholars and practitioners. The causes of this neglect are linked to the characteristics of the planning systems in use or difficulties in quantifying results. To advance the state of the art of outcome evaluation, this paper focuses on assessing the implementation of national spatial planning objectives in urban landscapes through the use of an evaluation framework, which makes use of spatially explicit information. The framework is built around four dimensions, which reflect the main domains of spatial planning: efficient built-up development, conservation of agricultural land, landscape preservation and human perception. Indicators that are capable of capturing landscape changes in both time and space are used to verify the degree of conformance between adopted objectives and actual development patterns. We make use of spatially explicit data, as well as assess whether and where landscape changes occurred, by integrating the framework into a multi-criteria analysis. In the present study, the framework is tested in two study areas located in Switzerland and Romania, while the results are interpreted from the perspective of spatial planning approaches in the two countries. The efficiency and utility of the framework are demonstrated by the ability to provide valuable information that facilitates improvement in the performance of planning processes, such as identifying where the implementation of objectives is less effective, and the domains of affected spatial planning. Our findings indicate that the distance between objectives and outcomes can be attributed to differences in countries’ spatial planning approaches, which should also be placed into the wider economic, institutional and legislative context. Our study provides valuable insights for the integration of time series of spatial data into the evaluation procedure.

Highlights

Most countries make firm policy statements at the national level about the need to achieve sustainable development
In our paper, which analyses whether spatial planning objectives at the national level correspond to outcomes on the ground, we refer to conformance
In order to contribute to the literature on outcome evaluation, this paper focuses on assessing the implementation of national spatial planning objectives in the urban landscape

Summary

Introduction

Most countries make firm policy statements at the national level about the need to achieve sustainable development. Objectives are often broad in scope and address holistic concepts, such as sustainable development or quality of life, the expectation is that they will be implemented In this context, spatial planning objectives become the basis upon which decisions regarding the actions of governments, the private sector and communities are taken. Conformance evaluation places plans and/or policies at the centre of the evaluation process and seeks evidence of their ability to shape physical development [3,5]. It implies the use of quantitative methods, which are often spatially explicit [6]. In our paper, which analyses whether spatial planning objectives at the national level correspond to outcomes on the ground, we refer to conformance

Results

Discussion

Conclusion