84322 v2 EUROPEAN UNION GUVERNUL ROMANIEI ENHANCED SPATIAL PLANNING as a Precondition for Sustainable Urban Development MINISTERUL FONDURILOR EUROPENE Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 1 2013-11-21 9:28 PM Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 2 2013-11-21 9:28 PM The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this report do not necessarily reflect the views and position of the Executive Directors of the World Bank, the European Union, or the Government of Romania. Project co-financed from the European Regional Development Fund through the Technical Assistance Operational Programme 2007-2013. December 25, 2013 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 3 2013-11-21 9:28 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION .......................................................... 5 LEGAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK ............ 13 Law no 350/2001 on spatial and urban planning represents the backbone of the Romanian spatial planning regulatory framework. ........ 13 The major shortcoming of Law 350/2001 is that it has no policy paper/ strategy at its foundation. .......................................................................... 13 The Ministry of Regional Development and Public Administration, through its Territorial Development unit, is indeed preparing a territorial development strategy. ................................................................................ 15 In addition to the territorial development strategy, the Ministry should also consider drafting an urban development strategy. ........................... 15 INSTRUMENTS ............................................................ 17 Law 350/2001 designs a cascade of instruments for spatial and urban 17 planning which are all interdependent and have to correlate vertically. ......... 17 Of course, spatial plans are not only drawn by public entities ................... 17 Overview of current spatial and urban planning documents ............. 19 Overall, spatial planning instruments have a poor performance in Romania. ................................................................................................... 19 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 4 2013-11-21 9:28 PM TABLE OF CONTENTS INSTITUTIONS ........................................................ 23 Chapter III of Law 350/2001 describes the attributions of different layers of public administration: central, country and local level........................................................................................................... 23 The Directorate-General for Territorial Development (now the DG Regional Development) represents the functional central government department tasked to deal with spatial planning. .................................... 23 One of the key challenges of spatial planning institutions in Romania is the severe lack of capacity ....................................................................... 25 The situation is even worse if one considers that from among registered specialists, the majority are reluctant to working for public spatial planning offices ........................................................................................ 27 RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................... 29 Much has been done in the past two decades to make the spatial planning system functional and efficient .................................................. 29 I The correlation and harmonization of different types of plans ............. 29 II The simplification of the framework of planning in Romania ................ 34 III The development of a planning system that will better integrate national and EU funded initiatives ............................................................ 37 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 5 2013-11-21 9:28 PM Braşov, detail Photo: George Maier Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 6 2013-11-21 9:28 PM This report is an argument for enhanced spatial planning in Romania. The underlying idea is that efficient spatial planning can lead to better economic, social, and environmental outcomes. Moreover, the report will argue that spatial planning can play a strategic role in driving development. 5 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 7 2013-11-21 9:28 PM Bucharest, detail Photo: Shutterstock.com Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 8 2013-11-21 9:28 PM As a country becomes more developed, planning becomes more and more important. More development translates into more and more decisions that need to be taken and coordinated. Consequently, as the economy of a country becomes stronger, planning capacity should concomitantly be strengthened at all administrative levels. 7 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 9 2013-11-21 9:28 PM Bucharest, detail Photo: Shutterstock.com Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 10 2013-11-21 9:28 PM However, while it is clear to planners why spatial planning is important, it is often hard to convince others of this. Partly this can be attributed to the nature of spatial planning. For a public entity, coordinating new investments in space represent extra work that they are often unwilling to do. For a private entity (e.g. individual or firms), spatial planning regulations are seen as an added restriction that comes on top of already existing public restrictions. Thus, spatial planning is often seen as hindering development by both public and private entities. stronger, planning capacity should concomitantly be strengthened at all administrative levels. 9 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 11 2013-11-21 9:28 PM Cluj-Napoca, Mănăştur - makeshift garages. Photo: George Maier Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 12 2013-11-21 9:29 PM In Romania, the spatial planning field has a task that is twice as hard than in developed countries. Following the fall of the centralized planning system in 1989, Romania had to basically learn to do planning from scratch. This process has been arduous, plagued with fits and starts, and it is on-going. The legal, regulatory, and institutional framework has been continuously evolving to respond to evolving needs and challenges. In the past 20 years, Romania has, arguably, shifted from radical centralized planning to no planning, and further on to a struggle to redefine and impose a new scope and aim of spatial planning functions. Significant efforts and energy have been invested in building a spatial planning system from scratch, and in changing public perception and discourse on these issues. 11 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 13 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Zoning Regulations for Cluj-Napoca Source: www.primariaclujnapoca.ro Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 14 2013-11-21 9:29 PM LEGAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK LAW NO 350/2001 ON SPATIAL AND URBAN PLANNING REPRESENTS THE BACKBONE OF THE ROMANIAN SPATIAL PLANNING REGULATORY FRAMEWORK. It sets out the principles, objectives, activities and institutions that pertain to the spatial planning system in Romania. The law also marks the start of a rather prolific decade in terms of new legislation and regulations which have gradually defined the policy and practice of spatial and urban planning. Previously, the post-communist regulatory framework was based mainly on Law 50/1991 (on the authorization of construction works and certain measures for housing development), a law with few mentions regarding spatial planning, and with a strong focus on specific building regulations. During the last decade, adjacent and secondary legislation developed considerably and the Romanian spatial and urban planning policy and practice accumulated know how and has been increasingly exposed to EU practices. Consequently, ever since its issue in 2001, L350/2001 has been object to a wide series of amendments. All in all, eight amending acts have been endorsed A normative framework by the date of the present report. is created, and some THE MAJOR SHORTCOMING OF LAW 350/2001 IS THAT IT HAS NO guiding principles are POLICY PAPER/STRATEGY AT ITS provided, but one does FOUNDATION. In essence, there is no document not have a clear sense that lays out how territorial and urban planning can play a strategic role for of how territorial and development. A normative framework urban planning can is created, and some guiding principles are provided, but one does not have a play more than just a clear sense of how territorial and urban planning can play more than just a coordinating role. coordinating role. 13 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 15 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Post-1989 buildings in Floreşti, Cluj County (detail) Photo: George Maier Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 16 2013-11-21 9:29 PM LEGAL PLANNING FRAMEWORK THE MINISTRY OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, THROUGH ITS REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT UNIT, IS INDEED PREPARING A TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. This strategy will provide a solid foundation for revamping Law 350/2011, if deemed necessary. The territorial development strategy will also provide a guideline for needed institutional reform and for how planning instruments could be used more efficiently and effective. A focus on territorial development is not enough though. IN ADDITION TO THE TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY, THE MINISTRY SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER DRAFTING AN URBAN DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY. It is at the urban level where spatial planning tools are most needed, and where they can play a more strategic role. Cities are living organisms, with space in and around them being continuously developed, re-developed, shaped, and modified. Cities in Romania have a number of idiosyncratic characteristics, and have developed unique dynamics after 1989. As such, it is important to prepare a strategy that identifies the It is important for main challenges and tasks in urban areas in Romania, and ways in which the urban strategy to these can be addressed through the use of spatial planning tools. At the identify ways in which same time, it is important for the urban spatial planning urban strategy to identify ways in which urban spatial planning tools tools can be used to can be used to guide sustainable development, not just respond to guide sustainable market inefficiencies. development, not just respond to market inefficiencies. 15 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 17 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Spatial plan drawn by a private firm in Cluj-Napoca. Source: www.bonjourresidence.ro Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 18 2013-11-21 9:29 PM INSTRUMENTS LAW 350/2001 DESIGNS A CASCADE OF INSTRUMENTS FOR SPATIAL AND URBAN PLANNING WHICH ARE ALL INTERDEPENDENT AND HAVE TO CORRELATE VERTICALLY. The elaboration of Sequencing is therefore very important, as the elaboration of lower level plans lower level plans should correlate and come after the elaboration of upper level plans. The should correlate main text provides an overview of the spatial plans that are elaborated by and come after the different administrative levels, some of elaboration of upper which are normative and statutory in nature, while others are operational and level plans. only have a guiding function for lower level plans. OF COURSE, SPATIAL PLANS ARE NOT ONLY DRAWN BY PUBLIC ENTITIES – they can also be drawn by private entities. Particularly in the case of zonal urban plans and detail urban plans, it is private entities that are often tasked to draft spatial plans. For example, a developer that Spatial plans are not wants to develop a new neighborhood has to prepare the zonal urban plan only drawn by public for that neighborhood, while ensuring that the provisions of the general urban entities – they can also plan are respected and followed. This be drawn by private of course brings to the fore the issue of public and private interests in spatial entities. planning, which is an issue of significant importance in Romania today. 17 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 19 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Alba-Iulia, General Urban Plan. Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 20 2013-11-21 9:29 PM INSTRUMENTS Overview of current spatial and urban planning documents OVERALL, SPATIAL PLANNING INSTRUMENTS HAVE A POOR PERFORMANCE IN ROMANIA. The large majority of territorial administrative units don’t have spatial plans or have expired ones; of those that do have spatial plans, few implement and enforce them effectively; of those that do indeed manage to enforce and implement their plans, many are challenged in courts by private interests, calling into question the normative When both the character of these plans. To this one can add that correlation between plans is development strategy made hard because of poor sequencing (i.e. lower level plans are drafted before and the spatial plan are higher level plans), because of difficulty of referencing higher level plans (county indeed in place, there is spatial plans in particular tend to include often a poor correlation a long list of data and information, which are often irrelevant), and because of the between the two. variation in quality of different plans. Moreover, there is a duplication of efforts between the strategy part of spatial plans (i.e. socio-economic and environmental analysis of the area under consideration) and the development strategies drafter by local authorities. There is a higher incidence of development strategies at the local level (although these are not mandatory for local authorities), and a lower incidence of spatial plans. When both the development strategy and the spatial plan are indeed in place, there is often a poor correlation between the two. 19 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 21 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Post-1989 buildings in Mănăştur, Cluj-Napoca. Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 22 2013-11-21 9:29 PM 21 Photo: George Maier Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 23 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Brăila, aerial view. Source: www.BingMaps.com Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 24 2013-11-21 9:29 PM INSTITUTIONS CHAPTER III OF LAW 350/2001 DESCRIBES THE ATTRIBUTIONS OF DIFFERENT LAYERS OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: CENTRAL, COUNTRY AND LOCAL LEVEL. The Ministry can A few aspects are worth highlighting. The central administration resumes a request local public coordination and endorsement role of all spatial and urban planning systems. administrations to draw The mandated ministry elaborates the national as well as regional spatial up or modify documents plans (on different thematic sections) on regional and urban as well as endorses the spatial and urban planning documentations for planning with a view lower territorial levels (namely counties, cities – county residences and other to expanding, detailing rural and urban settlements which act or applying provisions as tourist resorts). included in the strategic THE DIRECTORATE-GENERAL FOR TERRITORIAL DEVELOPMENT sector programs of the (NOW THE DEVELOPMENT) DG REGIONAL REPRESENTS Government, as well as THE FUNCTIONAL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT for the general interests TASKED TO DEAL WITH SPATIAL of the state to be PLANNING. It fulfills its duties in the specific observed. field of activity, being in charge of national and regional spatial planning and development, territorial cooperation, urban planning and spatial planning, management and development of urban and real estate programs. Line ministries and other bodies of the central public administration convey to the MRDPA, at request, all the information necessary for the development 23 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 25 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Romania has one of the lowest densities of architects in Europe 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Italy Denmark Portugal Macedonia Greece Malta Luxembourg Belgium Germany Spain Cyprus EUROPE Bosnia & Hertzegovina Czech Republic Norway Slovenia Switzerland Finland Ireland Netherlands Sweden Austria Croatia France Lithuania Turkey UK Bulgaria Estonia Hungary Latvia Poland Slovakia ROMANIA Source: Architects’ Council of Europe Note: Density of architects refers to number of architects per 1,000 people Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 26 2013-11-21 9:29 PM INSTITUTIONS of the activity of spatial and urban planning. The Ministry can request local public administrations to draw up or modify documents on regional and urban planning with a view to expanding, detailing or applying provisions included in the strategic sector programs of the Government, as well as for the general interests of the state to be observed. At the county level and at the local level, spatial planning functions are carried There are only a few by Chief Architect’s offices. universities in Romania ONE OF THE KEY CHALLENGES OF that teach urbanism SPATIAL PLANNING INSTITUTIONS IN ROMANIA IS THE SEVERE LACK (mainly in Bucharest, OF CAPACITY. Cluj-Napoca and Iasi), For the most part, professionals tasked to deal with spatial planning and they cannot fill the issues come from an architecture background. Romania has the lowest current demand for density of architects per 1,000 people in the EU, so one could say that from specialists in the field of the start it lacks the absolute number spatial planning. of specialists needed to take on such a task. The situation is worse when one compares different regions of Romania. More than half of accredited architects work in Bucharest, and some counties have less than 10. In addition to the absolute numbers, Romania lacks the skill-mix that is needed for spatial planning. As data in the main text will show, there are few planning specialists with a background in urban sociology and demography, urban economy, or environment quality. Moreover, there are significantly less urbanists than architects working in the field of spatial planning, although technically the former should fill spatial planning positions. There are only a few universities in Romania that teach urbanism (mainly in Bucharest and Cluj-Napoca), and they cannot fill the current demand for specialists in the field of spatial planning. 25 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 27 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Chief Architects are THE SITUATION IS EVEN WORSE IF ONE CONSIDERS THAT FROM most of the time AMONG REGISTERED SPECIALISTS, THE MAJORITY ARE RELUCTANT relegated to doing TO WORKING FOR PUBLIC SPATIAL bureaucratical work, PLANNING OFFICES. A guide for chief architects they are poorly paid, and elaborated by Urban Expert Vision with they often lack financial funding from USAID support to carry on (Ghidul Arhitectului Şef de Municipiu) key tasks (e.g. prepare indicates some of the main reason spatial plans). architects and urbanists do not want to do spatial planning work: political actors often do not perceive this function as being an important one; salaries are much smaller compared to what could be earned in the private sector; workplaces are poorly equipped for the job; there are not enough skilled colleagues one could work with and learn from; spatial planning departments tend to be understaffed; Chief Architects are most of the time relegated to doing bureaucratical work, they are poorly paid, and they often lack financial support to carry on key tasks (e.g. prepare spatial plans). Distribution per counties of accredited architects and urban planners Source: Romanian Register of Urban Planners, www.rur.ro Note: the quantitative data on the map could be read as following: Dolj (23,0,1,0) – the numbers stand for number of certified architects (23), number of lead architect (0), number of certified urban planners (1) and number of certified experts in adjacent fields (0). Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 28 2013-11-21 9:29 PM INSTITUTIONS 27 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 29 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Spatial planning visualisation. Source: www.aedas.com Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 30 2013-11-21 9:29 PM RECOMMENDATIONS MUCH HAS BEEN DONE IN THE PAST TWO DECADES TO MAKE THE SPATIAL PLANNING SYSTEM FUNCTIONAL AND EFFICIENT. A lot of lessons have been learned, and continued improvements have been brought to the system. Much remains to be done however, and the recommendations below provide some key directions for action: I THE CORRELATION AND HARMONIZATION OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF PLANS. Correlation of plans is very difficult right now, and it is likely to become more difficult if another administrative tier with spatial planning competences is introduced (the regions). To enable proper plan correlation, the spatial planning system should encourage the drafting of plans that are easy to correlate with. Particularly county spatial plans tend to be difficult to draw on. Since there is no standard guide for how county spatial plans should be drafted, these often include reams of data and information that have little relevance for the task at hand and that are hard to reference To make correlation (e.g. the strategy part of some easier, higher level plans county spatial plans is over 2,500 pages long). (county plans, and/or To make correlation easier, higher potentially regional plans) level plans (county plans, and/or should follow a structure potentially regional plans) should follow a structure similar to that similar to that of the of the national spatial plan. More specifically, they should make national spatial plan. a clear distinction between the strategy part (which is not normative in nature) and the physical plan (which is normative). Since only the physical plan has to be followed by lower level plans (the strategy part has to be consulted but not followed), this has to be very precise and 29 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 31 2013-11-21 9:29 PM BRĂILA, COUNTY SPATIAL PLAN Source: Institutul național de cercetare-dezvoltare pentru urbanism şi amenajarea teritoriului Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 32 2013-11-21 9:29 PM RECOMMENDATIONS concrete. Ideally, county physical plans should only include allocated land-uses (e.g. protected areas at the county level) and the spatial distribution of planned developments. Ideally, planned developments should only include elements that A guide for county fall within the competence of that particular territorial administrative spatial plans (and/ unit, and  which are likely to be or for regional spatial started within  the time-frame the plan is valid for  (e.g. 10 years). plans) should include a For example, county councils are generally responsible for: building and clear and limited list of maintaining county roads; developing issues that need to be county solid waste management systems; developing water and followed by lower level wastewater networks; organizing inter-municipal transportation; plans. The easier it will developing and managing airports; or, investing in large public infrastructure be to read these plans, (e.g. stadiums, sports halls, hospitals, the easier it will be to museums). Of course, not all county councils will have the same set of follow them. responsibilities (e.g. most counties don’t have an airport), but to the extent possible, a guide for county spatial plans (and/or for regional spatial plans) should include a clear and limited list of issues that need to be followed by lower level plans. The easier it will be to read these plans, the easier it will be to follow them. Since county spatial plans often have a validity of 10-15 years, county authorities should not include in the plan, developments that are not likely to be started within that time-frame. Often, there is an impulse to draft ambitious plans which have little chance of becoming reality. Thus, rather than driving development, these plans end up stunting development. More specifically, if land is already allocated in 31 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 33 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Timişoara. (detail) Source: www.GoogleMaps.com Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 34 2013-11-21 9:29 PM RECOMMENDATIONS a spatial plan for a particular type of development, it will be hard to do something else there while the plan is still valid. This also brings forward the need to have flexible spatial plans, which adapt quickly to changing circumstances. For example, a spatial plan may have provided for infrastructure investments that respond to certain trade patterns. If those trade patterns change, the plan should change to. Otherwise, there is a risk of wasting public resources, or of using them ineffectively. Consequently, the spatial planning framework should allow and encourage the update of plans, when changing dynamics ask for it. At the same time, a prioritization framework should be introduced. Currently, many of the urban and spatial plans consist of full menus of projects from all sectors with a poor analysis and understanding of their financial and budgeting implications. More specifically, it is not clear who and how will pay for these projects. Consequently, one of the main aims of such plans – to help If spatial plans will be the decision making process – is left done at both the county unattained. Another sine-qua-non condition and at the regional level, for proper correlation is the easy availability of these plans. All spatial it will be important to plans should be made easily available have a clear delineation (e.g. on the web-site of the public authority), and in addition to the plan of who will be itself, public authorities should also provide the GIS files that were used responsible for what. to draft the physical plans. This will make it much easier for lower level plans to directly correlate with higher level plans. In addition to access, awareness and ownership are important aspects. As long as planning documents are left isolated and line ministries/directorates are not engaged in the elaboration process nor 33 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 35 2013-11-21 9:29 PM assume ownership of implementation, spatial plans may fail to achieve their objectives. Last but not least, if the regionalization process will be completed, it will be important to also have a discussion on the need to have spatial plans both at the county and at the regional level. And if spatial plans will be done at both these levels, it will be important to have a clear delineation of who will be responsible for what. II THE SIMPLIFICATION OF THE FRAMEWORK OF PLANNING IN ROMANIA. A spatial plan should draw on a clear strategy. As it is designed now, spatial plans include a strategy part and a physical plan part. The strategy part basically lays the foundation for the physical plan. However, most counties and localities also draft development strategies (although those are not mandatory). Often, there is an overlap between these development strategies and the strategy part of the spatial plan. To avoid duplication of efforts and to enable synergies, spatial plans and development strategies should be developed at the same time – what a number of Romanian planners have called the unified/integrated development plan (Planul Unic de Dezvoltare). This approach would ensure that spatial planning considerations play a role in the way the development strategy To avoid duplication of is drafted (and spatial planning plays a key role in efforts and to enable development), while at the same time ensuring that synergies, spatial the physical plan accurately plans and development reflects in space the vision of the strategy. strategies should be Ideally, the development strategy would be drafted developed at the same in a comprehensive and time. flexible way, and will form the Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 36 2013-11-21 9:29 PM RECOMMENDATIONS foundation for all future development initiatives within that particular territorial administrative unit. This will avoid the proliferation of a multitude of strategies and plans, It may pay to think of the type that has been witnessed about creating the in Romania in recent years (e.g. strategies and plans drafted for regulatory framework attracting EU funds, innovation strategies, environmental strategies, that would allow climate change strategies, etc.). Such sectorial strategies could still be counties and larger drafted, and they may have spatial urban areas to have implications, but they should use the Integrated Development Plan as the dedicated planning basis for their elaboration. agencies. Moreover, it is important to address capacity issues related to the elaboration, monitoring, and enforcement of those integrated plans. The reality in Romania is that very few local and county authorities are equipped to prepare development strategies and spatial plans on their own. Most often, they have to externalize this function to the private sector, to public research institutes (e.g. URBAN INCERC), or to universities. In essence, this is not a bad thing, as plans are prepared at good standards. However, public authorities often do not take ownership of these documents. As such, it may pay to think about creating the regulatory framework that would allow counties and larger urban areas to have dedicated planning agencies. These planning agencies could function as public-interest NGOs, with a flexible hiring policy (allowing them to offer higher salaries and attract better qualified people), with the possibility of generating revenues from multiple sources (not just from contracts with local/county authorities), and with a status that will keep them more detached from politics. 35 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 37 2013-11-21 9:29 PM Development project undertaken by Iaşi City Hall with EU funding Source: www.curierul-iasi.ro III THE DEVELOPMENT OF A PLANNING SYSTEM THAT WILL BETTER INTEGRATE NATIONAL AND EU FUNDED INITIATIVES. As mentioned above, all territorial administrative units should ideally have one development strategy and one physical plan, guiding their future development. These strategies should form the basis for attracting EU funds. More specifically, EU funds should be used to fund projects that are already included in the county/local strategy, rather than preparing a separate strategy and plan just for attracting EU funds. In essence, EU funds should be seen as complementing investments from the state and local budgets, as well as from other sources (PPPs, Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 38 2013-11-21 9:29 PM RECOMMENDATIONS private investments, etc.), rather than being designed in a vacuum. This is also the thinking behind the Cohesion Policy 2014-2020, which encourages Integrated Territorial Investments that take advantage of potential synergies for maximum development impact. For the 2007-2013, territorial administrative units that attracted EU funds had to have a strategy in place justifying the need for funding as well as how those funds would be used. For the 2014-2020 programming period, the requirement should be that territorial administrative units that want to attract EU funds should have comprehensive development strategies and physical plans in place, which list not only projects that will receive EU funding, but also projects that will be funded from other sources. Moreover, spatial planning will play a key role in not only providing the spatial embodiment for these planned projects, but also provide key strategic guidance and ensure that future investments are properly coordinated in EU funds should space. be seen as At the same time, the next EU programming complementing cycle provides a valuable opportunity for new funding investments from instruments to be made the state and local available for implementing integrated development budgets, as well as plans. Thus, rethinking the planning system in Romania from other sources could go hand in hand with (PPPs, private the preparation of new EU funding instruments (e.g. investments, etc.), ITI – Integrated Territorial Investments), aimed at rather than being addressing complex territorial and urban designed in a vacuum. development challenges. 37 Enhanced Spatial Planning_Final Report_A5_ENG_Nov21.indd 39 2013-11-21 9:29 PM