IN-PLAN PRACTICE
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In the initial phase of spatial planning, it is essential to thoroughly understand existing policies, planning documents, and the legal framework. This includes identifying which documents are required and available, and which existing legal instruments can be utilised. Additionally, reviewing international, national and regional good practice examples can guide and inspire the work. It is crucial to evaluate what spatial data is available, what additional data is needed, and how to access and manage this data. This foundational stage should also encompass an analysis of the relevant information the data provides about the current status and future development of the area. These steps are vital for refining the decision-making process in formulating visions and objectives for land use planning in the subsequent phase.
Many municipalities and administrative regions have access to detailed national, regional, and local strategic documents addressing sustainable development, climate change mitigation, and adaptation, such as energy plans, SECAPs, and SUMPs. Despite their availability, the objectives and actions outlined in these documents often remain disconnected from spatial planning initiatives.
While sustainable development is frequently mentioned as a goal in land use planning, it is often not specifically reflected in existing legislation. Additionally, municipalities typically do not control aspects like energy generation within their communities. A complex legal hierarchy defines the possibilities, mandates, and objectives for spatial planning, yet these legal instruments are often underutilised due to limited knowledge or ambition. Some important aspects, such as addressing building stock, are excluded from spatial plans because municipalities lack the legal authority to include them. A more robust legal framework could significantly enhance municipalities’ ability to make effective and spatially nuanced decisions.
The Let’s Fill Streets with Life programme in Barcelona is based on various municipal plans (Barcelona Climate Commitment, Urban Mobility Plan, Green and Biodiversity Plan, etc.), as well as the previous Superblock Program for 2011-2015. It creates synergies, coordinates these plans in a cross-cutting manner, and provides a vision for comprehensive change to develop the strategic lines set out in this legislation.
For further information see Let’s Fill Streets with Life.
Researching good practices is essential for effective spatial planning, as it provides valuable insights and inspiration for implementing innovative solutions in your city. To achieve the best possible outcomes, it is crucial to understand the available options and what contemporary standards entail.
Start by examining the specific standards relevant to your country, region, and municipality. This ensures that new strategies align with local regulations and expectations. For instance, reviewing ambitious spatial planning initiatives within your own region can highlight successful approaches that are contextually appropriate.
Next, look at comparable municipalities with established good practices. Cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam offer exemplary models in integrating sustainable transportation and green infrastructure. Analysing these cases can reveal practical solutions and innovative approaches that might be adapted to fit your local context.
International comparisons with best practice examples are particularly valuable for understanding what is achievable in implementation. They help you see beyond local constraints and explore cutting- edge solutions that could enhance spatial planning in your municipality. By drawing on both local and international examples, you can develop more effective and forward-thinking strategies that contribute to creating resilient and liveable urban environments.
The Dutch Cycling Embassy is a public-private network promoting sustainable bicycle mobility. They offer good practice examples, a knowledge base with over 600 blog posts, and regular updates on cycling improvements in the Netherlands and globally. Thematic platforms like this are valuable for researching good practices for your municipality. European research projects also collect good practices, aiding the development of your own strategies and plans.
For further information see Dutch Cycling Embassy.
Effective data acquisition and management are fundamental to successful spatial planning projects. The first step is to determine the specific types of data needed for your project. This involves considering all relevant factors such as geographic information, infrastructural details, environmental data, and socio-economic statistics. Keep in mind that qualitative data from interviews or observations can also be an important source for analysis. Understanding these requirements upfront helps to focus your efforts on gathering the most pertinent information. For instance, if your project involves urban development, you might need data on population density, traffic volumes, green spaces, and existing infrastructure.
Next, compile a comprehensive inventory of existing data from various sources, including open data platforms, public databases, and private sector resources. Open data is often freely available online but must be checked for source reliability. Public data is owned by national or regional authorities, while private data can come from utility companies, such as infrastructure details and mobile phone usage data. Assess the availability and quality of these data sets to understand what you already have. This step helps identify what data is readily accessible and what might require further effort to obtain.
With your inventory in hand, analyse the existing data to identify any gaps. Determine what crucial information is missing that you need to collect or acquire to complete your data set. For example, many municipalities may lack reliable data on emissions, actual energy consumption, renovation activities, and mobility patterns. When baseline data is unavailable, consider using tools like hectare grids (e.g., Heatmap, PETA for energy data) to estimate missing information. Conducting surveys can also be essential to fill these data gaps effectively.
Design a clear process for acquiring the required data. Identify potential data providers and determine how you can collect the data. This might involve establishing agreements with private entities to access their data or conducting field surveys and utilising advanced methods such as sensors, drones, and satellite imagery. It is advisable to sign non-disclosure agreements for data procurement if no legal basis exists, especially for sensitive information like building-specific consumption data from energy providers. Familiarise yourself with data protection laws and guidelines, such as the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), to ensure compliance.
Implement a robust data management system to ensure coherent storage, processing, and usage of data. A well-designed data management plan should outline procedures for data generation or acquisition, processing, conservation, and sharing. It needs to be shared with, understood, and applied by all employees. This plan should indicate what data should be collected, how it will be managed, the methodologies and standards to be applied, sharing channels, and processing and storage methods.
Handling metadata, which includes additional information accompanying tables or databases, is also crucial. Privacy protection is paramount when collecting, storing, and sharing data, especially personal data. Sometimes data may need to be generalised, aggregated, or anonymised to avoid breaches. Centralise data retention, define clear procedures, provide complete documentation, and organise data consistently. Adopt a versioning system, make regular backups, use real-time collaboration tools, monitor data access and review, and provide adequate technical assistance to ensure correct management and use of data.
While there is an initial investment in training, cleaning data, and setting standards, the return on investment is quick. It saves time and ensures consistent results over time, contributing to future resilience. As the environment changes, keeping data up to date is crucial to ensure its accuracy and reliability. Information needs to be recorded at regular intervals, especially for dynamic data like energy and mobility.
The City of Vienna’s online city map is an accessible tool providing extensive geo-information. It includes layers with public transport routes, cycle paths, public facilities, zoning and development plans, monument protection, and world heritage sites. This map is part of Vienna’s comprehensive GIS database, supporting analyses and spatial projects. This data foundation promotes transparency and informed decision-making for Vienna’s sustainable growth and development.
For further information see Vienna City Map.
Data availability is not an end in itself. The aim of analysis and forecasting is to combine available data in a meaningful way in order to derive new knowledge and thus provide a crucial basis for evidence- based decision-making in future planning. Basic research is essential in spatial planning and must be carried out thoroughly in order to provide well-founded justifications for spatially differentiated decisions, especially in the event of legal challenges.
In the context of spatial planning, data is usually analysed spatially, i.e. represented on maps. The mere visualisation of spatial data on a map is often already the first step towards meaningful analysis, as things become tangible and relate to the real space. In addition, geo-information systems provide a wealth of analytical tools and possibilities for combining and analysing spatial data. Overlaying different data sets is a simple but very useful way of understanding spatial relationships between circumstances. In mobility and infrastructure planning, the analysis of distances and connections between different points of interest is an important task.
Many datasets are available over a longer period of time, allowing for spatio-temporal analysis and even forecasting. Innovative planning support techniques and tools, such as urban energy maps, environmental maps, climate maps, heat maps, and other spatial and temporal visualisation and mapping tools have the potential to facilitate efficient use of resources and better decision making, including using urban systems modelling for mobility and energy consumption in buildings. They can help to gather information and to understand the need for policies and actions.
Before embarking on a new analysis, it will be helpful to review what is already available and to update existing spatial analyses and scenarios. It is also a good idea to share knowledge about analytical tools and approaches with other communities and regional and national authorities: Are there already established tools for analysing specific datasets? Are there analyses at the national or regional level that you can use for your purposes at the local level? This step should increase efficiency, but also ensure coherence of data use within the country or even the EU.
If you have identified gaps in data analysis that are relevant to your project, you can carry out or commission this task. At this point you may also want to collaborate with other local or regional authorities: What are the appropriate boundaries for the analysis? Perhaps the study should be carried out for the whole region rather than a single municipality? Collaboration in this regard can save time and money, and will contribute to more comprehensive spatial planning. Remember that in addition to the spatial dimension, time is an important factor. Forecasts and different (growth) scenarios should be included in your analysis where appropriate.
Ultimately, the analysis should help you to identify and assess specific needs and challenges, e.g. infrastructure needs for new energy distribution systems, for storage solutions, for new public transport, for new green spaces, etc. It will also provide the basis for developing scenarios and testing proposed spatial interventions. In many cases, it will also identify possible solutions that can be further explored in the planning phase.
Heat Maps are important analytical tools for spatial and energy planning. They help match energy demand with local resources, showing heat density, current supply sources, and potential renewable or waste heat sources. The HeatNet NWE Guide to Heat Mapping gives detailed guidance on how to develop Heat Maps and which information can retrieved from them.
For further information see Guide to Heat Mapping.
