Since the end of the 1980s, several studies have been conducted aiming at understanding the heterogeneity of spatial planning traditions across Europe. Over the years, such studies became more ...comprehensive and included many European (and not only the European Union) countries. Nevertheless, some parts of Europe (e.g., the Western Balkans or the post-Soviet countries) usually remained excluded from the mentioned studies. To mitigate this gap, the paper focuses on the case of Russia. Using a twofold methodological approach, the paper firstly examines the attributes of Russian spatial planning (through a multi-layered analysis of the socio-economic and institutional settings, the evolution of spatial planning over a century, and contemporary planning instruments and procedures of plan-making), to then compare the attributes of the Russian spatial planning system to the core features of the European planning styles. As a result, the elements of multiple distinct spatial planning styles can be traced in Russian spatial planning: land use management and regional economic planning seem to prevail, whilst comprehensive integrated and urbanism traditions are less represented but not absent. Bearing in mind the complexity of the exercise, this contribution should be considered a preliminary attempt to enlarge the existing comparative studies beyond European countries.
•The paper examines the characteristics of Russian spatial planning.•The authors have compared the Russian spatial planning system to the features of the European planning styles.•During the Cold-War period, 1990s, spatial development in Russia became rather chaotic and unsustainable.•The authors have concluded that land use and regional economic planning seem to prevail in the planning system of Russia.•The paper is an attempt to enlarge the comparative studies in relation to planning systems beyond European countries.
Spatial planning systems in Europe Toi, Branka; ivanovi, Zora
Glasnik Srpskog geografskog društva,
2023, 2023-00-00, 2023-01-01, Letnik:
103, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Odprti dostop
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The paper draws attention to the process of urban growth in the Western Balkans, which is principally reflected in the physical expansion into the surrounding area, leading to the conversion of land ...into urban fabric - urban sprawl. According to the principles of sustainable development, this process is considered unjustified, especially if it is not a consequence of population growth. The features and the intensity of urban sprawl in the Western Balkans have been determined by mathematical and statistical methods, using data from the Urban Atlas database. The main common features and differences related to urban sprawl in the analyzed cities are determined by several factors, which are discussed in the paper. The purpose of the analysis of the intensity of urban sprawl between 2012 and 2018 is to ensure a better understanding of future processes that pose a potential 'threat' in environmental terms, but also of other aspects of sustainable development, relevant for bodies and individuals responsible for urban planning. In accordance with the methodology used, the results of the research confirm the presence of urban sprawl in Western Balkan cities, although it has not been proven that there are features common to all cities for any of the analyzed indicators.
The paper outlines the features of the spatial planning systems worldwide, on different continents, based on countries where legislative frameworks for the planning and methodology of preparing and ...implementing planning documents are defined. In order to define global features of a spatial planning systems it is necessary to address several issues: the implementation of sustainability principles, the development of regional planning, the importance of an urban planning approach, management system, implementation problems, participation, the share of strategic spatial planning and transnational cooperation, etc. The determination of the planning system by numerous and various factors influenced the different degree of development of the planning process. In many countries, planning practice faces problems associated with the disrespect of the law, corruption and illegal land use, resolving regional development imbalances in almost all countries etc. At a global level, addressing environmental issues is becoming a dominant goal in most planning systems.
The process of rural neglect leads to massive abandonment of rural areas throughout the Balkans. The paper provides an insight into the situation in the rural environment of Serbia. The aim of the ...study is to identity the reasons for rural abandonment in Serbia in order to define the optimal ways to overcome the current situation. An integrated questionnaire was designed for all respondents, and there were also several separate questionnaires. The results indicate the difficult situation in the rural area of Serbia and that the current trend of rural abandonment will continue.
This paper analyzes the basic characteristics of Serbia’s urban system after World War II. The term urban system is largely determined by the use and functioning of the space in which it exists. We ...used the methods common in urban geography, notably the Rank-Size Rule and the Law of the Primate City with the aim of identifying the basic regularities, as the first step in an in-depth study of an under-researched topic. The research seeks to contribute to explaining the causes of the previous and current situation in the national settlement network, as a prerequisite for planning the future organization of the settlement network. Our study, conducted in Serbia, finds polarization apparent in the prominent domination of the capital city in terms of population, and this is a key feature of Serbia’s urban system. The current situation is the result of an intensive process of urbanization, but also of the establishment of new administrative boundaries after the disintegration of Yugoslavia. The study also seeks to suggest the most appropriate development model for Serbia’s urban system that could help overcome the extreme population concentration in Belgrade and create a basis for organizing an optimal system of centers. Keeping in mind that uneven regional development is determined by the features of the urban system, polycentric development is a common model for overcoming extreme polarization on a global level.
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