Urban Planning
7W7X0
Chiel van der Pas
Summary of the lectures
, Urban Planning 7W7X0
Table of Contents
Lectures ................................................................................................................................................... 2
Lecture 1 .............................................................................................................................................. 2
Lecture 2 .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Lecture 3 .............................................................................................................................................. 9
Lecture 4 ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Lecture 5 ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Lecture 6 ............................................................................................................................................ 20
Lecture 7 ............................................................................................................................................ 22
This summary is based on the lectures of the course Urban Planning (7W7X0). I have put great care in
making this summary and I tried to make this document to be as precise and complete as possible. I,
however, may have accidentaly made some mistakes or missed something, so please be mindful
when using this summary. This summary is not an offical document of TU Eindhoven and should thus
not be used as ones sole source of information.
Please note that this summary does not cover the literature of this course.
Last updated: 30 October 2019, 12:43
1
, Urban Planning 7W7X0
Lectures
Lecture 1
Spatial planning in NL and EU
Dutch spatial planning system
At the end of the 19th century, living conditions were poor in the Netherlands and diseases were
threatening cities. This led medical specialists to lobby for a spatial planning system in which hygiene
was improved and sewage was installed.
In 1901 the housing act came into effect, it provided building regulations and spatial plans.
After WW2, an acute housing shortage arose, caused by wartime damage and the post war baby
boom. This led to the Spatial Planning Act (WRO) [Wet Ruimtelijke Ordening]. In the WRO, provinces
and municipalities had to make spatial planning visions (policy strategy).
Municipalities, furthermore, also had to make land-use plans for outside built-up areas (this was
obligatory) and they had the possibility to do the same for inside built-up areas (this was optional).
To develop new, or change existing, buildings or infrastructure, a permit is required. A building
permit has to be rejected if it does not fit in the land-use plan (or if it doesn’t meet other
requirements). If there is no land-use plan, there is no ground to reject a permit. Most municipalities
thus developed plans for inside built-up areas as well.
In 1985, a major amendment was added to the WRO. It led to shorter procedures and a national
vision (policy strategy) was included in the act.
The WRO had a few national urbanisation principles:
- Keep green areas between urban conglomerations (i.e. the Green Heart)
- There is a main economic structure with main ports: Schiphol airport and the port of
Rotterdam.
- ABC-policy to guide the location of offices (this was not a successful principle)
o A-locations: near central railway stations and limited parking
o B-locations: accessible by both car and public transport
o C-locations: peripheral, car dependent
- Restrictive retail policy: retail development was only allowed in city centres, except for
dangerous and voluminous articles. This obstructed large shopping malls from emerging and
it led to the development of furniture strips [meubelboulevards]. This principle is abandoned
under the Wro but it is still maintained by provinces.
In 2008, a new spatial planning act (Wro)(mind the lower case letters) was introduced. In this act,
procedures were shortened even more and national and provincial governments got the possibility
to overrule municipal land use plans. Municipalities, furthermore, are obliged to make a land-use
plan for the entire municipality.
The national, provincial and municipal governments all need to have a spatial planning vision.
Land-use plans can be objected to at the municipal council and the plaintiff can go into appeal at the
council of state.
In the new Wro, economic development is seen as the main priority of spatial planning (whereas the
old WRO was seen as a comprehensive integrated approach). Provinces and municipalities are
responsible for urban development (except for 13 national interests). The only national principle
2
7W7X0
Chiel van der Pas
Summary of the lectures
, Urban Planning 7W7X0
Table of Contents
Lectures ................................................................................................................................................... 2
Lecture 1 .............................................................................................................................................. 2
Lecture 2 .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Lecture 3 .............................................................................................................................................. 9
Lecture 4 ............................................................................................................................................ 13
Lecture 5 ............................................................................................................................................ 17
Lecture 6 ............................................................................................................................................ 20
Lecture 7 ............................................................................................................................................ 22
This summary is based on the lectures of the course Urban Planning (7W7X0). I have put great care in
making this summary and I tried to make this document to be as precise and complete as possible. I,
however, may have accidentaly made some mistakes or missed something, so please be mindful
when using this summary. This summary is not an offical document of TU Eindhoven and should thus
not be used as ones sole source of information.
Please note that this summary does not cover the literature of this course.
Last updated: 30 October 2019, 12:43
1
, Urban Planning 7W7X0
Lectures
Lecture 1
Spatial planning in NL and EU
Dutch spatial planning system
At the end of the 19th century, living conditions were poor in the Netherlands and diseases were
threatening cities. This led medical specialists to lobby for a spatial planning system in which hygiene
was improved and sewage was installed.
In 1901 the housing act came into effect, it provided building regulations and spatial plans.
After WW2, an acute housing shortage arose, caused by wartime damage and the post war baby
boom. This led to the Spatial Planning Act (WRO) [Wet Ruimtelijke Ordening]. In the WRO, provinces
and municipalities had to make spatial planning visions (policy strategy).
Municipalities, furthermore, also had to make land-use plans for outside built-up areas (this was
obligatory) and they had the possibility to do the same for inside built-up areas (this was optional).
To develop new, or change existing, buildings or infrastructure, a permit is required. A building
permit has to be rejected if it does not fit in the land-use plan (or if it doesn’t meet other
requirements). If there is no land-use plan, there is no ground to reject a permit. Most municipalities
thus developed plans for inside built-up areas as well.
In 1985, a major amendment was added to the WRO. It led to shorter procedures and a national
vision (policy strategy) was included in the act.
The WRO had a few national urbanisation principles:
- Keep green areas between urban conglomerations (i.e. the Green Heart)
- There is a main economic structure with main ports: Schiphol airport and the port of
Rotterdam.
- ABC-policy to guide the location of offices (this was not a successful principle)
o A-locations: near central railway stations and limited parking
o B-locations: accessible by both car and public transport
o C-locations: peripheral, car dependent
- Restrictive retail policy: retail development was only allowed in city centres, except for
dangerous and voluminous articles. This obstructed large shopping malls from emerging and
it led to the development of furniture strips [meubelboulevards]. This principle is abandoned
under the Wro but it is still maintained by provinces.
In 2008, a new spatial planning act (Wro)(mind the lower case letters) was introduced. In this act,
procedures were shortened even more and national and provincial governments got the possibility
to overrule municipal land use plans. Municipalities, furthermore, are obliged to make a land-use
plan for the entire municipality.
The national, provincial and municipal governments all need to have a spatial planning vision.
Land-use plans can be objected to at the municipal council and the plaintiff can go into appeal at the
council of state.
In the new Wro, economic development is seen as the main priority of spatial planning (whereas the
old WRO was seen as a comprehensive integrated approach). Provinces and municipalities are
responsible for urban development (except for 13 national interests). The only national principle
2
