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European Planning Studies

Brigitte Adam

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Spatial Policies for Metropolitan Regions - Identity, Participation and Integration

To link to this article: DOI: 10.1080/0965431032000108413 URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0965431032000108413

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European Planning Studies, Vol. 11, No. 6, September 2003

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RESEARCH BRIEFING

Spatial Policies for Metropolitan RegionsIdentity, Participation and Integration

BRIGITTE ADAM

ABSTRACT

In times of globalization the attention of spatial planning obviously changes from rural to metropolitan regions. This change of perspective goes along with the expectation that metropolitan regions are key factors for a dynamic development of the nation as a whole. This article refers to metropolitan strategies in Germany and considers one special strategy element in greater detail: spatial planning completed a policy for metropolitan regions as a top down approach. In addition, a network of German Metropolitan Regions was established from below. Recently the members of this network have prepared a common strategy paper that includes eight demands for metropolitan strategies. One of the demands is dedicated to regional identity, participation and integration. Aspects concerning this demand are discussed in this article.

1. Spatial Strategies for Metropolitan Regions in Germany

The present discussion in Germany and Europe about the signicance of metropolitan regions for economic and social development, which is mainly determined politically and strategically, clearly emphasizes the special economic functions of metropolitan regions that are effective at the supra-regional level. This is a result of the experience that the increasing international economic integration is aggravating the competition among locations. In principle all city regions are affected by increased locational competition. Due to their outstanding importance, however, the metropolitan regions are particularly exposed to this competition and need to meet it at the international level. The German Standing Conference of Ministers Responsible for Spatial Planning (MKRO), in which the spatial planning ministers responsible for the Lander (federal states) and the Federal Government are represented, has underlined the importance of metropolitan regions in Germany: As engines of social, economic and cultural development they are to maintain the efciency and competitiveness of Germany and Europe.1 Corresponding to the extensive decentralized and federal structure of Germany, seven metropolitan regions have
Brigitte Adam, German Federal Ofce for Building and Regional Planning. ISSN 0965-4313 print/ISSN 1469-5944 online/03/06073909 DOI: 10.1080/0965431032000108413

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been included in this resolution: Hamburg, Rhine-Ruhr, Berlin-Brandenburg, Rhine-Main, Saxony-Triangle, Stuttgart and Munich. The regional perspective, i.e. the consideration beyond the boundaries of individual cities or metropolitan areas, is seen as a chance to improve the attractiveness of locations and international competitiveness by complementing different qualities and offers of neighbouring and functionally interrelated municipalities at the European as well as at the international level. The strengthening of the regional aspect is to compensate for competitive disadvantages and to contribute to a more coherent spatial development. Further-reaching complementary effects should be achieved through intra-regional German and Europeannetworks, through shared functions (e.g. coordination between fair locations, integrated solutions for international events) as well as through strategic alliances in international competition.

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2. Network of German Metropolitan Regions

In the framework of a demonstration project carried out by the Federal Ofce for Building and Regional Planning named Network Regions of the Future, the representatives of the metropolitan regions have united to form a Network of German Metropolitan Regions (Figure 1).2 The Rhine-Ruhr region is participating initially with a representative from a sub-regionthe Ruhr area. The Saxony Triangleso far still more a working model and labelled as a potential metropolitan region by the MKROis represented by state planning. The Metropolitan Region Hanover has joined the network in addition to the seven metropolitan regions named in the Framework of Action for Spatial Planning. The work in this network is organized by representatives of the participating planning authorities.3 Political bodies have not been involved so far, but attempts to integrate them are under way. The members of the network aim to dene the demands and expectations of the German metropolitan regions with regard to German and European spatial development. They are seeking possibilities to strengthen metropolitan regions in Europe together in a coordinated way as well as opportunities to support them by means of national and European spatial planningand structural policy.4 In spite of this clear strategic orientation, spatial and analytical questions concerning the distinction between metropolitan regions and other city regions are discussed because of their particular functional importance just as much as mutual data-based comparisons or comparisons with other metropolitan regions (Table 1).

3. Strategy Statement of German Metropolitan Regions

Joined by an external coach, the members of the Network of German Metropolitan Regions prepared a so-called strategy statement including eight demands on the development of their regions: (a) Policies in all spheres and at all levels must be increasingly geared towards meeting the needs of metropolitan regions. (b) Efcient forms of regional cooperation must have political legitimacy and secure funding. (c) The most important tasks of the metropolitan regions are connected with supra-local planning, provision of infrastructure and regional promotion of economic development. (d) Metropolitan regions must cooperate more closely both at the national and international level in order to enhance their efciency and advance their common interests. (e) Each metropolitan region must consistently develop its specic prole as a business location.

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Table 1. Structural datanetwork of German Metropolitan Regions

Area in km2 2000

2.90 0.05 1.81 0.74 0.59 0.96 1.91 1.25 2.06 1.46 0.94 0.07 420 0.94 2.06 262 159 109 42 151 2.81 0.75 1.16 1.37 1.92 0.81 2.19 0.12 218 1455 391 716 444 803 278 463 2 11 13 1 2 2 4 2 43.67 48.83 34.63 22.34 51.15 81.28 39.65 43.46 79.05 20.95 33.08

Population change in % Population 19921996

Proportion of Number of population in Population municipalities municipalities with Proportion of Population density with higher higher central population in the change in inhabitants per central function in largest city in % km2 functions % % Employees 19962000 2000 2000 2000 2000 2000
42.02 9.41 12.34 22.34 49.48 78.29 14.67 36.16 1371865 3550479 1936463 1056356 1070957 1443115 1201591 572638 22093040 5721318 27814358

Metropolitan Region

Hamburg Rhine-Ruhr Rhine-Main Stuttgart Munich Berlin Saxony Triangle Hanover

18765 7034 13396 3649 5503 5377 12104 3074

4082664 10233227 5239327 2613379 2446014 4320179 3362983 1424087

Germany in total

248491 108617

65027485 17232045

West Germany East Germany Area of the Federal Republic of Germany

357108

82259530

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Source:

Own calculations based on the Continuous Spatial Monitoring of the Federal Ofce for Building and Regional Planning.

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Figure 1.

Network of German Metropolitan Regions.

(f) The metropolitan regions must aim at a division of labour and tasks. (g) The metropolitan regions must develop a sense of identity and encourage active participation of their citizens. (h) The German metropolitan regions must intensify and coordinate their Europe-related activities. The draft strategy paper was presented and discussed during the international conference Metropolitan Governance which took place on 4 April 2003 in Stuttgart.5 After the conference the actors from the German Metropolitan Regions began to revise the paper in detail. Apart from this revision procedure they have still stuck to the eight demands.
4. Identity, Participation and Integration in Metropolitan Regions

One of eight demands of the European Metropolitan Areas in Germany (the 7th) focuses on creating a regional identity and on stimulating citizens commitment, resulting in good

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governance for the region. In this context the necessity to integrate different population groups is considered.6 Efforts to create a regional identity should bring regional affairs and the region as a coherent area into public awareness. Regional identity is seen as a condition for the commitment of citizens that is centred more strongly on the region, e.g. in comparison with the individual hometown. The term regional identity or regional awareness goes back to the 1980s and covers a range from a potential sense of belonging on the one end to an active commitment for the region on the other (Brunotte , 2002). Presented are four theses around the partly unspecied term regional identity which lead to the conditions for citizens commitment and integration:
et al.

(a) People move within regional structures daily. However, this behaviour does not lead automatically to a regional identity. (b) Regional identity among key actors can initiate good governance. (c) Regional identity in metropolitan regions is mainly based on variety and cosmopolitan attitudes. (d) Taking part in regional affairs is possible without the one and only regional identity.

4.1 People Move Within Regional Structures Daily

This well-known gap can be illustrated for one of the European Metropolitan Areas in Germany respectively for a part of one of these regions: the Ruhr area as part of the metropolitan region Rhine-Ruhr. What about regional behaviour and regional identity in the Ruhr area? The Ruhr area has been trying to support regional identity by referring to its industrial history. From the beginning of the 20th century until the 1980s, coal mining and steel industries dominated the economic structure of this region. Today the region is in the middle of a comprehensive change; lost a lot of inhabitants and workplaces, resulting in very high unemployment rates. The region is structured very similarly. As result of the rapid urbanization processes at the beginning of the last century municipal borders are no more visible. Accordingly, peoples spatial activities are regional to a large extent. In spite of so much regional links there is still a lack of regional identity. A recent survey shows:

the proportion of commuters who passes city-boarders is around 40% of the employed persons; even 85% percent of the Ruhr population leave their hometown for shopping; but asked about their spatial identity only 25% named the region rst; the individual hometown has rst priority, the state north Rhine-Westphalia has second priority (Brandt , 2002).
et al.

Regional identity does not come from one day to the next, not even as widespread movementthe example of the Ruhr area indicates this very well. This conclusion leads to the second theses. Therefore it seems to be important that there are several key actors who feel a strong commitment for the region, who are willing to promote the region, have a good knowledge about the region and who are able to convince others.

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4.2 Regional Identity Among Key Actors Can Initiate Good Governance

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A lot of experiences, e.g. from research or model projects show the inuence of such key actors (Spars et al., 2003), especially at the beginning of regional or cooperation processes between neighbouring municipalities (Melzer, 1999). It is possible to trigger off regional cooperation processes by networks of local actors even if a regional planning authority does not exist. However, it goes without saying that regional commitment could be increased by regional agencies. If those promoting actors have a strong regional view they can strengthen regional policies and give an insight into the potentials beyond the borders of single municipalities. Although their activities are often crucial for the beginning of regional processes, it is necessary to establish regional thinking and activities in the long run. Instead of setting up a closed shop limited to key actors (this danger is real), regional development should be actively opened to more and more actors and initiatives. Key actors should support the building of regional networks, including private actors as well as citizens initiatives. Similar networks would be directed towards good governance. But who is probably interested in participation? For example, regional networks are interesting for small- and medium-sized companies. Business in this eld has a strong focus on regional production links and regional location qualities. Globally acting companies could also become interested in regional affairs, for example if they aim at an improvement in so-called soft location factors (e.g. urban or landscape qualities). An example is the recent regional initiative called Metropolitana in FrankfurtRhine-Main.7 In the sense of good governance and if sustainable development is a serious objective, the participation in regional affairs must not be limited to economic actors or economic networks (OECD, 2002). Regional networks should be actively opened for different groups and interests. But to be honest, although it is possible to name several features which characterize good governance, it is seemingly different to dene this term in every detail. Additionally, it has to be considered that in many cases different regional networks exists already. Mostly these networks are limited to smaller parts of the region or to one or a few selected topics. Therefore existing networks need to be coordinated.
4.3 Regional Identity in Metropolitan Areas is Mainly Based on Variety and Cosmopolitan Attitudes

Regional identity policies are often based on common cultures or histories going along with an emotional touch. But especially the population in metropolitan areas is characterized by a variety of cultures as well as by different histories or lifestyles. The proportion of migrants is high (Table 2). Particularly with regard to regional identity the fact that migrants come and go is more important that the high share of foreign population. Thus the regional identity of metropolitan areas is mainly based on a changing variety andof courseon cosmopolitan attitudes.8 The one and only, ever lasting regional identity does not exist.9 However, stressing special features or symbols of each region can be useful to build their own image in order to differentiate from the others. The international knowledge about metropolitan areas is often combined with special symbols (e.g. Eiffel Tower in Paris), especially in the case of monocentric regions. Such an image can be useful particularly as an element of regional marketing policiesprovided that it does not go at the expense of variety and openness. Otherwise new groups could be excluded instead of being integrated (Sussner, 2002).

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Table 2.

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Share of foreign population

Total In central cities

Federal Republic of Germany Metropolitan Regions

Hamburg Rhine-Ruhr Berlin-Brandenburg Rhine-Main Saxony Triangle Stuttgart Munich Hanover

8.84 11.73 9.50 13.12 10.57 13.55 2.63 16.99 16.63 9.72

14.09 15.05 15.27 14.89 12.54 21.49 4.26 24.29 23.10 15.25

Apart from identities, the characteristic variety of population groups requires special attention to social integration in metropolitan areas. Migration, respectively, the share of foreign population, is only one aspect of integration but an important one. Therefore this aspect is a good example: Integration strategies have to consider recent forms of migration, including the high mobility of migrants as well as long-distance and weekly commuting, e.g. from Poland to Germany (Haussermann, 2001). With regard to the integration of migrants education systems are especially asked: integration has to begin early in life, and the proportion of migrants is particularly high among children. Apart from different cultures or lifestyles, the fourth and last thesis goes back to regional identity and its relevance for citizens commitment.
4.4 Taking Part in Regional Affairs is Possible Without the One and Only Historically, Culturally or Emotionally Based Regional Identity

Rather is it necessary to show to what extent citizens interests are touched by regional structures and development. This means that different groups have to be informedcontinuously and understandablyabout possible advantages of regional economic networks as well as about regional affairs that affect daily life (transport links, regional landscape parks or the addition of single cultural or leisure facilities in different municipalities, etc.). A main condition for the willingness to participate is the perspective to gain benets from regional structures, regional planning and development. Benets have to be clearly visible. Concrete projects can help to meet this condition: project initiatives which probably attract people (for example projects within regional parks or as part of regional exhibitions); may be projects which are locally centred but which are clearly embedded into regional programmes. However, the perception that benets can be realized through regional activities seems to depend to a certain extent on the size of the region, respsectively on its spatial dimension. But information and motivation is not enough. Additionally, there has to be space for different people to participate in regional processes (Albrechts, 2001). Space here is meant in a wider sense, including: meeting places (public spaces, rooms, material, budgets for mediators etc.); enabling to take part; mechanisms to compensate for time and nancial burdens in the case of intensive participation.10

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Conclusion
At rst, the four theses and the following explanations should give some impetus for the revision of the strategy statement of the German Network. Secondly and hopefullyand that is the intention behind this articlethey can give further hints how to optimize participation in metropolitan regions all over Europe and how to accompany this process by further research or model activities.

Notes
1. MKRO (1995): Framework of Action for Spatial Planning, 8 March 1995. 2. The project Network Regions of the Future is carried out by the Federal Ofce for Building and Regional Planning on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Housing. In this network the realization of exemplary regional policy approaches for difcult tasks in selected individual model regions or groups of regions is supported and promoted by giving advice (coaching of model regions). The group of metropolitan regions is participating in this coaching as Network of German Metropolitan Regions. The members of this initiative intend to continue their cooperation after the project has ended. 3. In detail the regions in the network are represented by members of the planning associations Munich and Frankfurt-Rhine-Main, the association of the Stuttgart region, the joint planning department of the states Berlin and Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, the municipal association of the Ruhr area, joint state planning in Hamburg and the state capital of Hanover. 4. www.zukunftsregionen.de; May 2003. 5. Joint conference of the European Network METREX (European Metropolitan Regions and Areas) and the Network of German Metropolitan Regions. 6. The 7th demand is discussed here in detail according to an input statement of the author given at the mentioned conference in April. 7. Metropolitana has been initiated by the Chamber of Commerce and can be described as regional exhibition that aims at a visible image of the region (www.metropolitana.de). Global players with headquarter locations within the region support the ideas of the Metropolitana. They see the advantage of an integrated regional development that lies in enhancing locational qualities. Highly qualied employees demand so-called soft location factors like landscape or urban qualities and cultural facilities. 8. Waltz, Viktoria (2003): Die metropolitane Stadtgesellschaft Ruhr: selbstreexive Interkulturalitat. Statement during the conference Leitbildmesse Stadteregion Ruhr 2030, 5 February 2003 in Essen. 9. Bormann, Regine (2003): Stadteregion Ruhr 2030: Identitaten und Moglichkeitsraume. Statement during the conference Leitbildmesse im Rahmen des Projektes Stadteregion Ruhr 2030, 5 February 2003 in Essen. 10. This third element is not usual but nevertheless not new. Under the term Planungszelle (Dienel, 1993) similar approaches have been carried out in Germany from time to time since the 1970s.

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