Dealing with Deconcentration: Population Deconcentration and Planning Response in Polynucleated Urban Regions in North-west Europe

Abstract

The process of population redistribution is influenced by a complex set of factors which can be grouped in economic, socio-cultural, demographic and policy factors. Most countries in Europe have to a certain extent tried to influence population redistribution through policy measures, mostly in the sphere of spatial planning, in the recent past. This paper offers a critical evaluation of the degree to which 'spatial planning matters' in the population redistribution process. First, the focus will be on the Netherlands, a country with a polynucleated settlement pattern that is known for its ambitious policies to counteract the continuous deconcentration of population. In addition, an international comparison with three other areas in north-west Europe (also characterised by a polynucleated settlement system) will be presented, in which the key question is: to what extent do different spatial planning systems lead to different developments in population distribution? The evidence presented, with striking similarities in population redistribution in the four case-study areas, suggests that the influence of spatial planning is very modest. To conclude this paper, the possible future role of spatial planning in the deconcentration process is questioned. Will spatial planning be able to counteract or control the formation of urban fields, in which people, companies and services are seemingly spread out 'at random' over large areas?