Planning Theories and Techniques (ARN-657)

Assignment 6

Spatial Planning

Introduction

As the term suggests, Spatial Planning refers to the planning and organization
of different functions within the concerned space. It is an activity of allocating
the adequate quality and amount of space required by different functions to
be housed in it respectively. It can be done at various scales and levels, such as
the local, regional or even national levels. However, the term Spatial Planning
is often linked to the planning at urban or regional levels.

Spatial planning, in the urban context, is the part of town planning that deals
with the equitable and rational distribution of human activities in the planning
area, so as to ensure the judicious use of the available land and other
resources, and an efficient functioning of the social, economic, environmental,
ecological, infrastructural and institutional facets of the Urban System.

As per this statement, there are two main objectives of spatial planning –

1. Judicious use of Land -

Land is a limited resource. It constitutes the Physical Subsystem of the

Urban System. All the other subsystems are based over the Land. Hence,
it is an important requisite for natural as well as human activities to take
place. However, all human activities require different amount of land for
their sustenance. In addition, the quality or type of land needed for a
specific activity might differ from the others. Hence, it is necessary to
identify which parcel of land is suitable for what functions and how
much amount of land needs to be allotted for different functions
respectively.

The first objective of spatial planning is, thus, to identify and demarcate
the amount and type of land required for different functions within an
urban system.
 2. Efficient functioning of all subsystems of the Urban system in relation to
one another –

Another objective of spatial planning is to ensure enhanced connectivity

and relationship between all human activities, as well as natural
functions, within the planning area.

Spatial planning should give due consideration to the interdependence

of different urban functions and the vicinity or separation between any
two functions should be planned so as to enhance their efficiency. For
example, the housing area needs to be in proximity to the livelihood, but
it needs to be far from heavy industrial areas. Similarly, integration of
open or green areas in the urban fabric should be judiciously planned so
as to enhance the quality of maximum nearby areas.

By considering the interdependence of all facets of the urban system in

the spatial planning process, a healthy relationship between all the
subsystems of the urban system can be established.

History

Different forms of practices have been in use around the world under the
umbrella of Spatial Planning. Its theories and practices have been seen to take
shape and evolve along with the societies and their governance systems
throughout the globe. Different regions of the world, in different times, have
seen unique planning systems, comprising of different stakeholders, different
planning perspectives and different kinds of institutional framework executing
the planning exercise.

In the initial phase, spatial planning was seen as a practice of segregating

different human activities and dividing the available space into zones. This kind
of practice, termed as Euclidian Zoning, gradually lost impetus when scholars
and writers like Jane Jacobs highlighted the drawbacks of strict
compartmentalization in the form of zones. Gradually, spatial planning started
to address more complex issues such as the spatial relationship of activities.

In 1983, the European Conference of Ministers responsible for Regional

Planning (CEMAT) adopted the European Regional/Spatial Planning Charter
(also known as the Torremolinos Charter). This document provides the earliest
official definition of Spatial Planning –
"Regional/spatial planning gives geographical expression to the economic,
social, cultural and ecological policies of society. It is at the same time a
scientific discipline, an administrative technique and a policy developed as an
interdisciplinary and comprehensive approach directed towards a balanced
regional development and the physical organisation of space according to an
overall strategy."

This was the first time when the tangible and intangible objectives of Spatial
Planning were explicitly defined. The definition highlights that spatial planning
is the act of providing geographical expression (via the planning of the physical
subsystem of the Urban System) to the vision of growth in the other
subsystems of the Urban System. It emphasizes that it is not merely an act of
defining boundaries for different zones of human activities, rather, it is a
‘Scientific Discipline’ which involves a ‘Comprehensive Approach’ for ‘Balanced
Regional Development’ achieved by an efficient ‘Physical Organization of
space’.

Later, in 1999, a document called the European Spatial Development

Perspective (ESDP) was signed by the ministers responsible for regional
planning in the EU member states. This document has no binding status and
the European Union has no legal authority for spatial planning, but it has been
used as a framework which has influenced spatial planning policy in European
regions and member states, and placed the coordination of EU sectoral policies
on the political agenda.

Conclusion

Spatial Planning has evolved in its meaning and practice over the years.
However, as per the current understanding of the term, it is regarded as an
integrated planning of the Physical subsystem of the Urban system with the
aim of establishing healthy linkages between the other subsystems. Priority
should be given to the efficient functioning of all the natural and human
activities, in relation to one another, that are based over the physical
subsystem. Spatial planning should not be thought of as a simple exercise of
demarcating zones for different activities, but it must take into account the
interdependence of all the activities and be performed in a scientific manner
so as to generate fruitful results.

- Manan Monga
(M.U.R.P. Semester 1)