Une impulsion à la planification territoriale concertée : le plan du Delta du Llobregat

Abstract

The Llobregat Delta, in the immediate proximity of the greater Barcelona city area, consitutes a strategic enclave for metropolitan development. This flat, not overly-developed area is situated at the meeting point of two natural axes of activity, the coast and the Llobregat River basin. The Barcelona airport is located here, along with the site of the future extension of the port and also a large number of the basic networks of various means of transportation. In this article is described the planning process which has been followed in this zone, under the stimulus of the Ministry of Public Works, Transport and Environment, which holds title to most of the infrastructures here. With the object in mind of transforming the Delta into a logistic platform on a European level, planning has taken into account the roles to be played by each of the territorial Bureaus: the Généralité of Catalonia, as the entity responsible for town and country development; and the Mayors and the Regional Council, which have historically been opposed to isolated sector-based activities and destruction of the environment. The Infrastructure Plan for the Llobregat Delta, which is both concerted and global, is organizing the development of the Port along with the consolidation of a zone of logistic activities, the detour of the river into its final segment, the future extension of the airport, new highway and train access routes into the area, the development of the coastal areas, conservation of natural resources, a water purification station, an incinerating plant, and so on. This project is being concretized into a proposition for a contract among several government offices, and will include programming over time the various actions to be taken and the financial compromises necessary.