National Spatial Planningin The Netherlands:

New Directions

47th ISOCARP Congress, Wuhan, China, 2011Arjen J. van der Burg,

Ministry of Infrastructure and The Environment, The Hague

Overview1. Introduction: country and history

2. Why new policies?

3. 2011: National Policy Strategy for Infrastructure and Spatial Planning

4. Conclusion: planning reverts to basics

(1) The Netherlands in NW Europe

Randstad North Wing – Amsterdam-Utrecht region

Randstad South Wing – Rotterdam-The Hague region

Germany, Ruhrgebiet

Belgium, Vlaanderen

Eindhoven region

A planning history of 70 years

1960 2010

Randstad + Green Heart Urban renewal Mainports: Port of Rotterdam + Schiphol Airport

Planning history

• National Spatial Planning driven by post-war expansion and renewal (housing, industry, infrastructure, nature, agriculture)• Urban expansion lost momentum in most regions• National spatial planning has to offer its expertise to other land uses

New Town Houten Vinex covenants

(2) Why new policies?1. Economic crisis and budget cuts2. New political priorities3. Unpleasant realities (lessons for planners)

4. “New” land uses

National Policy Strategy Infrastructure & Spatial Planning

Ambition 2040

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Competetive, accessible, liveable & safe

“Decentralisation and simplification”

(3) National Interests1. Outstanding business

climate in urban regions2. Energy network and

transition3. Pipeline network4. Use of subsurface5. Robust rail, road and

waterway network6. Better use of existing

network capacity7. Maintenance of existing

transport networks

8. Improving environmental quality

9. Adaptation to climate change

10. Preservation of unique cultural heritage

11. Network for wildlife habitats

12. Military sites13. Careful and transparent

planning decisions

National Interest 1: Business Climate

• Better business climate in urban regions with economic top-sectors around mainports, brainport and greenports

• Support for infrastructure and development projects

National Interest 5: Robust rail, road and waterway network.

• Space and budget reserved for expansion of highways, railways and canals

• Putting users first: new multimodal Mobility Indicator

National Landscapes

National Interest 10: Preservation of unique cultural heritage

National Interest 13: Careful and transparent planning decisions

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• Radical simplification of “environmental” laws• Binding rules in a bye-law• Planning help for municipalities and provinces through state

architects, design, research facilities• Spatial information universally available digitally

1310 april 2023

National Policy Strategy on one map

(4) “Decentralisation and simplification”

What used to be the urban policy:

• National urban networks and growth boundaries

•Urbanisation Package Deals

Former national interests

Buffer zones between major cities

The Hague – Wassenaar - Leiden

Former national interests

(5) Conclusion: National planning must revert to basics

• Reduction of national spatial planning for the occupation layer to major urban nodes in Randstad Holland

• Growing importance of subsurface and network layers creates new fields of action for national spatial planning in conjunction with national network planning