Recent decades have witnessed a huge change in the global structure of the human population, with the majority of people now living in urban environments. Rural-to-urban migration flows, mainly due to labour opportunities in urban areas, are responsible for the majority of this growth. Such events aggravate the urban-rural divide and compromise sustainable land-use systems. Hence, planning and managing urban areas and rural hinterlands require integrative spatial planning strategies, as well as strong land use management policies. In this regard, strategic spatial plans have been increasingly developed in many urban regions worldwide, as a means to achieve sustainable land use patterns, guide the location of physical infrastructures and shape urban-rural dynamics. It is realistic, therefore, to expect that strategic spatial plans may contribute to fostering the linkage between urban centres and rural hinterlands. This study reviews the content of strategic plans and other spatial policy documents currently in force in European and North American urban regions. The central goal of this study is to analyse the policies and measures in the plans to understand the role strategic spatial plans play in balancing the urban-rural nexus. The findings allow us to distinguish three dominant approaches, which reflect spatial patterns: i) strategic plans in European cases are focused on promoting brownfield redevelopment and stimulating polycentricity as a counter-urbanization measure; ii) strategic plans in Canadian cases demonstrate strong preoccupations with farmland protection for food security in striving for a more equal development of urban and rural areas; iii) strategic plans in assessed US cases are mainly focused on curbing urban sprawl and avoiding further land take for urban and infrastructure development, while rural hinterlands are largely neglected. The study concludes by outlining recommendations intended to support strategic planning processes and sustainable land management.

1. The role of strategic spatial plans
in managing urban-rural relationships
GLP - Open Science Meeting · April 24 – 26, 2019 · Bern · Switzerland
eduardo.dasilva@uclouvain.be | anna.hersperger@wsl.ch CC0 licensing

2. To investigate how strategic spatial plans at the urban
regional level deal with the
urban-rural divide
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3. Several events aggravating the urban-rural divide
and compromise sustainable land-use systems
(Lazzarini, 2018; Hersperger et al. 2018; Tacoli, 2017)
The traditional dichotomy of ‘rural producers –
urban consumers’ is increasingly inaccurate.
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4. (Tacoli, 2017; Bren d’Amour et al. 2016; Müller and Munroe, 2014)
We need narratives that can ground debate and
action on the evolving challenges faced by
rural and urban areas.
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5. Planning and managing urban areas and rural
hinterlands require integrative spatial planning
strategies, as well as effective land-use
management policies.
(Oliveira et al. 2018; Gallent et al. 2006)CC0 licensing

6. Strategic spatial plans have been increasingly
developed in many urban regions worldwide,
as a means to achieve sustainable land use
patterns, guide the location of physical
infrastructures and shape urban-rural dynamics.
(Albrechts et al. 2017; Hermelin, 2009)CC0 licensing

7. Strategic spatial plans are suitable for exploring
the link between planning and land change
(Hersperger et al. 2018)
Land-change studies could clearly benefit from a
better understanding of how planning influences
land-use patterns
(e.g. Stokes and Seto, 2016; Turner ll et al., 2013)

8. Investigating how strategic spatial
plans affect land-change domains
landscape
urban - rural divideland degradation
green-infra.

9. 1. Is the urban-rural divide addressed in strategic
spatial plans?
2. What are the main instruments, programs and
measures proposed to address the urban-rural
divide?
3. How to improve strategic spatial planning
processes in a way that contribute to more
sustainable urban-rural relations?

10. Exploratory case study research
. Edmonton
. Vancouver
. Portland
. Pittsburgh
.5
4.
12.
1.
6. 7. 8.
3.
9.
11.
2.
10.
Europe
(1) Amsterdam
(2) London
(3) Cardiff
(4) Dublin
(5) Edinburgh
(6) Oslo-Akershus
(7) Stockholm
(8) Helsinki-Uusimaa
(9) Berlin-Brandenburg
(10) Copenhagen
(11) Vienna
(12) Barcelona
Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Vancouver, British Columbia
United States
Portland, Oregon
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

11. Qualitative content analysis of SSPs (n=58)
(IPBES, 2018; Oliveira et al. 2018; Rudolf et al. 2017)
1. Urban-rural
2. Rural-urban
3. Urban and rural
4. Rural hinterland
5. Rural
6. Urban sprawl
7. Villages
8. Small towns
9. Countryside
10.Land take

12. Urban-rural divide in SSPs – dominant approaches
Focused on
• Promoting brownfield
redevelopment
• Reuse outdated
buildings in rural areas
• Stimulating
polycentricity as a
counter-urbanization
measure
Focused on
• Protecting agricultural
land for food security
• Striving for a more
equal development of
urban and rural areas
e.g. compact
development;
Focused on
• Curbing urban sprawl
and avoiding further
land take for urban
and infrastructure
development
• Improving
transportation urban-
rural hinterlands

13. Instruments, programs, measures or ways of dealing
Amsterdam Supporting urban-rural relationships through EU projects
Cardiff Supporting the development of rural-based enterprises/initiatives
Helsinki-Uusimaa Network of rural areas – incentivise circular rural economy
Barcelona Acknowledging the value/strength of small towns and villages
Stockholm New developments should be located in villages and communities
Copenhagen Reinforcing rural zones and preventing uncontrolled develop
Edmonton Supporting a contiguous pattern and compact form of develop.
Oslo-Akershus Improving transport network/services urban(Oslo)-to-rural
Pittsburgh Operating assistant measures improve rural areas e.g. transport
Dublin Strategic policy for rural develop. aligned with national strategy
Berlin-Brandenburg Strengthening rural areas within a long-term perspective and
supporting integrated rural development policies
Portland Establish a system of rural reserves to protect agricultural land
Edinburgh Countryside policy area to protect prime agricultural land
Vancouver Establishing Urban Containment Boundary reinforces the protection
of agricultural, conservation and rural areas
London & Vienna -

14. Cardiff
• Recognises the economic
viability of the
countryside
• Agriculture and forestry
playing an important role
in the management
• New residential
development will not
normally be permitted in
the countryside unless it
is justified for agricultural
or forestry purposes or
other rural enterprises
• The Regional Structure
introduces three policy
tiers: rural area,
metropolitan area and
metropolitan core
• In the rural area, eco-
industrial approaches will
guide the design and
development of heavy
industrial uses to minimize
their adverse impacts on
natural living systems and
prime agricultural lands
• Promotes the elaboration of
comprehensive municipal
plans contemplating
measures to minimizing
urban sprawl
• Proposes to develop further
the Greenways for Pittsburgh
2.0 i.e. preserving passive
open space resources.
• Promotes sustainable land
use practices at the
community level
Edmonton Pittsburgh

15. How to improve strategic spatial planning
processes in a way that contribute to more
sustainable urban-rural relationships?
multi-level governance
re-use / multifunctional integrated strategic planning
social infrastructure

17. Thank you #glposm
The role of strategic spatial plans
in managing urban-rural relationships
Eduardo Oliveira
Earth and Life Institute,
Université catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium
eduardo.dasilva@uclouvain.be
Anna M. Hersperger
Research Unit Land Change Science,
Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL, Birmensdorf, Switzerland
anna.hersperger@wsl.ch