From plan making to governance. European meanings of spatial planning and its possible relation to Hungarian planning

Abstract

Driven primarily by European integration processes, the concept of spatial planning emerged in the 1990s. This concept encompasses various forms and levels ofpolicy practice that are consciously oriented towards shaping spatial development. Spatial planning has become a widespread scientific concept that has been unpacked and widely used in the scientific planning literature of the last two decades.

The paper is based on a literature survey aiming at identifying European meanings of spatial planning and their connection with Hungarian planning practice. Based on a comprehensive overview of European scientific and policy literature, the authors were able to identify two parallel meanings ofthe term ‘spatial planning’. On the one hand, it means a neutral umbrella concept covering a variety of related activities: it includes activities that take place at different territorial levels and use different toolkits and approaches. On the other hand, spatial planning is used in a narrower interpretation to describe the postmodern, novel planning perspective and style that has evolved since the 1990s, motivated mainly by European integration. The main features of the new planning perspective are the strong link with the concept of territorial governance, the application of a strategic approach, the integration of spatial and socio-economic planning and development and the harmonisation of sectoral policies. While previously the production ofthe legally defined plan has been at the centre of planning, in the age of territorial governance it is more about continuous coordination and cooperation within the framework of strategic management.

The European concept of spatial planning is not recognisable in Hungarian practice and only appears in indirect references in Hungarian literature. Some elements ofthe activities that can fall under the umbrella term of spatial planning – e.g. ‘településtervezés’ (settlement planning), ‘területfejlesztés (regional/territorial development), ‘területrendezés’ (physical land use planning), certain areas of ‘vidékfejlesztés’ (rural development), ‘területi monitoring’ (territorial monitoring), közlekedésihálózat-tervezés (planning of transport networks) – exist in Hungarian practice, but they are separated from each other. Other elements, such as spatial coordination of sectoral policies, have appeared only to a limited extent. Nevertheless, these activities of Hungarian practice can be linked to the interpretation of both the comprehensive umbrella concept and the paradigm concept of spatial planning. The authors propose that the comprehensive concept of spatial planning (térbeli tervezés) be introduced into Hungarian policy, professional practice and scientific discourse. This comprehensive interpretation could provide a conceptual framework for more consistent territorial governance in Hungary and for stronger links to international planning contexts.