Country planning in Germany

Land planning is planning on the provincial level (provincial planning) or at the level of sub-regions of countries ( regional planning ). As a result of the amendment of the Regional Planning Act (ROG 2008), the previously used term of regional planning was in fact replaced by regional regional planning on June 30, 2009 in Section 2. Regional planning in the federal states . The regional development programs are an important instrument of regional spatial planning .

Actors in regional planning

The main actors in regional planning in Germany are the various regional planning authorities . Due to the federal structure, the structure varies greatly and there are regional spatial planning authorities in the broader sense on one to four levels, if the agencies of regional planning are added as a fourth level. The highest regional spatial planning authority is located in different ministries and its assignment is changed relatively frequently. The upper or higher regional spatial planning authority, if any, is located with the central state authorities. Lower regional spatial planning authorities are z. B. circles. The authorities responsible for regional planning are often organized locally.

Competencies of the regional spatial planning: State development plan and program

According to Section 13 (1) ROG, the federal states are obliged to draw up a spatial planning plan for the state area (state-wide spatial planning plan) and spatial planning plans for the sub-areas of the states (regional plans). In order to implement the state spatial planning , they issue state planning laws , which mostly regulate the tasks, instruments, procedures and organization of the state spatial planning as well as the content of the spatial planning (state development program , state development plan, regional plan ). Some state planning laws also contain principles of spatial planning, in addition to the principles of federal spatial planning in Section 2 (2) ROG. On this basis, the regional spatial planning authorities develop programs and / or plans, which essentially consist of binding goals and principles of spatial planning that must be weighed up to control the spatial development of the country.

In almost all federal states, regional spatial planning has the following instruments:

Plan creation and plan deviation

Preparation of the spatial plan with goals and principles
Target deviation procedure

Securing spatial planning

State planning statement to adapt the land-use planning to the objectives of spatial planning according to Section 1, Paragraph 4 of the Building Code
Planning requirement
Spatial planning procedure (ROV) for spatially significant projects of supra-local importance (e.g. trunk roads, high-voltage overhead lines)
Prohibition of planning and measures contrary to regional planning regulations

Plan preparation and support

Spatial planning cadastre , spatial monitoring
Regional planning report

Regional planning

Supervision and approval of the regional plan (in some countries: preparation of regional plans, in Schleswig-Holstein by the uppermost, and in countries with joint regional planning by the upper state planning authorities - in MV the lower state planning authority. The decision on the regional plan as a statute or ordinance is, however, a matter of the regional planning association.)

Regional development

EU projects
Model project of spatial planning
Regional development concepts
Networks, cooperations, contracts

The main task and central design instrument of the regional spatial planning is the creation of the high-level spatial planning plan with textual and graphic specifications, which is called differently in the federal states: "Regional development program" (Bavaria, Rhineland-Palatinate), "Regional spatial development program" (Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania), "regional regional planning program" ( Lower Saxony), "State Spatial Planning Plan" (Schleswig-Holstein) and in the majority of cases "State Development Plan" (other federal states). However, this is preceded by preparatory work and accompanying activities: Each highest state planning authority participates in the Ministerial Conference for Spatial Planning , in which it coordinates with other federal states and the federal government. In most federal states, there is also an obligation to prepare a regional spatial planning report in which the success of previous measures for regional development and the planned further development is described. As a preliminary stage to the regional planning plan at the state level, a textual state development program with specifications for the subsequent plan is only created by the joint state planning for Berlin-Brandenburg. In NRW, the state development program expired on December 31, 2011.

The preparation of a spatial planning plan requires a wide range of specialist agreements and extensive participation ( countercurrent principle ): The highest state planning authority, as the planning agency, involves all state ministries, hears the advisory board if necessary and then carries out the participation process. Municipalities, regional planning associations, public planning agencies and bodies responsible for public affairs are invited to comment. Since the introduction of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), the public has also been involved. This in turn has favored the publication of the draft plan on the Internet and the corresponding regulations in the state planning laws. At the same time or after the end of the participation process, the plan is forwarded to the state parliament for comment and finally decided by the state government.

New instruments of regional planning

In addition to the classic instruments of the state development program , state development plan and spatial planning procedure, there are new regional spatial planning strategies. These emerged against the background of changed spatial and structural framework conditions ( German unity , EU integration, technological change ...). New instruments are e.g. B. Sub- spatial reports and spatial planning development concepts, cross-border development concepts, regional marketing concepts and regional management . They are not legally binding so that the actors can develop an idea of cooperation. Regional forces are to be bundled, the self-confidence and identity of the region to be strengthened and a spirit of optimism to be created.

literature

Academy for spatial research and regional planning - ARL (Hrsg.): Ground plan of spatial planning and spatial development . 2011, ISBN 978-3-88838-554-4 ( ARL-net.de ).

Academy for spatial research and regional planning - ARL (Hrsg.): Concise dictionary of spatial planning . 2005, ISBN 3-88838-555-5 ( ARL-net.de ).

Academy for spatial research and regional planning - ARL (Hrsg.): Outline of the state and regional planning . 1999, ISBN 3-88838-527-X .

Michael Beer: Bavaria's boom in farming. State planning and structural change in the Bavarian economy in rural areas from 1945 to 1975. Lulu, Morrisville 2008, ISBN 978-1-4092-0580-7 .

Hartwig Spitzer: Introduction to spatial planning. Ulmer, Stuttgart 1995, ISBN 3-8252-8106-X .