Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
•
The
vision as utopia or dystopia
may be used to promote action by present-
ing a possible perfect situation, or the worst-case scenarios.
•
The
vision as mission statement
, rather than presenting a picture of the
future, defines fundamental principles that should govern future action. Nadin
(2000) gives examples of substantive principles (for example the environ-
mental sustainability agenda), or governance principles (for example transpar-
ent decision-making processes, establishing partnerships) which visions can
take on board with the aim of improving planning policy and practice in the
long term.
The roots of transnational spatial visioning in Europe can be found among the
national and transnational regional planning strategies prepared by smaller coun-
tries in north-west Europe. First ideas of thinking about and conceptualising trans-
national territories came up in the early 1960s, primarily from the Dutch National
Spatial Planning Agency, and the 'Conference of Regions in North-west Europe'
(CRONWE). The idea of explicitly preparing a strategic framework for transnational
territories has only recently been applied more widely in Europe, especially in the
context of the European Spatial Development Perspective (CSD, 1999), and the
Community Initiatives Interreg IIC (1997-1999) and Interreg IIIB (2000-2006) (cf.
Chapter 1). The thinking behind the requirement for visions has not been made
explicit in the Interreg guidelines, but the main purposes of a transnational spatial
vision in the European context can be deducted from recent experiences as:
•
to understand the transnational and long-term implications of spatial develop-
ment trends;
•
to provide a statement of shared goals for the spatial structure of the region;
•
to give direction and inspiration to transnational, national and regional plan-
ning processes;
•
to assist in the formulation and selection of transboundary spatial planning
programmes and projects (Nadin, 2000: 19).
Since the first Interreg transnational spatial visions were prepared between the mid
and late 1990s a wider debate has started on their function, and the first experi-
ences are being 'deconstructed' with a view to developing a better understanding
of their role in transnational planning processes in future. Questions about the
ownership of and audience for these strategies have been raised, and the potential
for implementation of these usually non-binding spatial strategies (Zonneveld,
2003). The lack of illustrations showing policy options in most of the spatial visions
prepared to date (cf. Chapter 1) has been interpreted as a result of uncertainty
about the status of the vision document and the competence for spatial planning at
