Speaker
Description
According to data from the European Environment Agency (EEA 2023), Poland is among the leading countries in the rapid transformation of undeveloped areas into residential development. Between 2012 and 2018, it ranked second in Europe in terms of the amount of agricultural, forest, and pastureland converted for housing purposes. These figures significantly exceeded those recorded in Western European countries. The issue of surplus land designated for residential development has also been extensively discussed in numerous national scientific studies.
In an effort to address this issue, several attempts have been made over the past two decades to reform the planning system. The successful reform was first implemented in September 2023, and Poland is now undergoing a comprehensive transformation of its spatial planning system aimed at limiting the expansion of new residential areas. This reform was driven by the European Union’s mandate to curb urban sprawl and constitutes one of the key milestones of the National Recovery Plan (KPO). The primary objective of the reform is for each of Poland’s 2,477 municipalities to adopt a completely new, legally binding land use plan that will cover their entire area. Strict regulations have been introduced to determine the required area designated for housing purposes. The deadline for completing these land use plans is set for December 31, 2025, leaving municipalities with a very short timeframe for compliance.
In my presentation, I will focus on 16 medium-sized cities, each located in a different voivodeship (region). These cities were selected based on a recently published report on the functional hierarchy of Polish cities and are categorized as "supralocal center strong." Medium-sized cities form the backbone of Poland’s advantageous polycentric urban structure, which should be preserved. However, many of these cities are currently experiencing socio-economic crises and significant population declines. Simultaneously, the development of new residential areas is increasing, primarily driven by extensive single-family housing, often arranged in a chaotic manner. This phenomenon has led to a situation where increasingly large areas of land are being occupied by a constantly diminishing population. Polish cities are not unique in this regard. Similar patterns can be observed in many shrinking cities across Europe and worldwide. In my presentation, I will illustrate the dynamics of population decline and the increase in land consumption in the 16 selected case studies. Analyzing the scale and pace of land development for residential purposes in relation to demographic trends will help identify the medium-sized cities that are facing the most severe challenges in terms of rational spatial development.
This analysis will also highlight regional variations, illustrating the differences in the scale and pace of new land development across the 16 voivodeships. It will identify regions experiencing particularly rapid suburbanization as well as those where the process is slower or better regulated through spatial policies. Although Poland operates under a strong centralist model, regional variations in planning practices and land consumption can be observed.
In the second part of my presentation, I will present calculations of possible land consumption based on the new regulations for selected case studies. This analysis aims to demonstrate that the current method is not universally applicable and, in some cases, may contribute to even more intensified urban sprawl.
References
EEA (2023) Net land take in cities and commuting zones in Europe. [Online} available at: https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/analysis/indicators/net-land-take-in-cities
Sobala-Gwosdz, Agnieszka; Janas, Karol; Jarczewski, Wojciech; Czakon, Piotr (2024). Hierarchia funkcjonalna miast w Polsce i jej przemiany w latach 1990–2020. (Badania Obserwatorium Polityki Miejskiej) Instytut Rozwoju Miast i Regionów, Warszawa–Kraków
| Keywords | population decline; land consumption increase; housing; spatial planning reform; |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | Yes |
