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Decision making process
Name of the case study
Spatial planning - a holistic approach
Decision making process - stages
The decision making process in land use planning is an ongoing procedure with regular updates (every 5 to 10 years). The decisions are taken at the local level, while regarding the higher level planning interests. The provincial government takes a controlling role.
Decision making process - levels
The call for updates comes officially from the political level. The implementing body however is the spatial planning unit, which provides information for the political sections as well as for the public. A project group, consisting of internal and external experts, is responsible for collecting information, inquiries, and exchanging information between interest groups.
Decision making process - sources of information
The information required to carry out the tool includes a description of the current situation, (re-) defining goals, gathering and distributing necessary (technical) information as well as providing GIS-based information, PR-measures such as leaflets and public discussion for citizen’s information. This procedure represents the normative approach for spatial planning projects
Decision making process - who are the decision makers
The executive group, representing the local level, is represented by members of the spatial planning unit. They are responsible that the legal requirements are fulfilled. However, political decisions need to be regarded in this context, which are not necessarily congruent with the planning level.
Decision making process - who made the final decision for project implementation
Officially political decision makers make the final decision, however implementation is carried out by the technical staff of the planning unit.
Name of tool
Indicators and procedures for Spatial Planning
Decision making process - tools in decision-making process
The tool can be used for preliminary-planning but also for the continuous (routine) work of the technical staff. The tool is being adapted by experts to allow the tool to be used in this way at any time.
Indicators are needed for planning and for argumentation to realise planned projects as well as for answering public requests.
Within the tool quantitative measures are translated into qualitative terms, and as a result indicators are mostly qualitative. An indicator set for the neighbourhood scale includes:
• potential influence / effects on the climate
• potential influence / effects through the climate
• green areas - leisure activities
• habitats - connection between biotopes
• visual impact on the neighbourhood (harmony)
• local wind corridors
• areas with bio-climatic compensation effects
• surface sealing / the kind of surface sealing
• permeability of the soil, subsoil and geological strata
• function as biotope for plants and animals
• closeness to nature / naturalness - with respect to quality for recreation, defined by its recreational value
Additional indicators which do not apply in all situations
• permeability of the soil, subsoil and geological strata
• potential influence because of waste sites
• nature and landscape - protected elements on the test-site
The indicators should add up easily and be able to be used for argumentation.
Decision making process - how was the information for the dmp disseminated
The procedure of the decision making process is regulated by law and is published in a local official newspaper. The requirements are - to provide comprehensive information made available by the planning unit, and to gather feedback (from posted letters, internet, email, personal communication) from the public and include it in the decision making process.
Decision making process - how was the public involved
The public are involved through the collection of planning requests and objections, which are made available for public information through different sources (internet, flyers, letters, personal consultation, road shows etc.). The evaluation of both the planning interests and the objections from the public comprise a central activity in this planning phase.
Decision making process - was there public discussion over the project
Consultation of the public usually starts when a development (housing or business) project has been proposed. Therefore the public is not involved in the early planning phase, but information is compiled by the planning unit and presented when a first planning draft has been developed. After the project’s scale is revealed to the public, there is an opportunity for the public to comment on the projects scale.
What tools were used to assess sustainability?
Indicators and procedures for Spatial Planning
More information