Project Description

Based on the case study of Porto Metropolitan Area, in Portugal, this project aimed to contribute to a systematic identification of the issues associated to spatial planning in metropolitan areas, and to spatial development regulation systems of an individualized and diversified nature.

It comprised several issues namely the ones associated:

• To the common practice of spatial planning in the Metropolitan Area of Porto where it matters to discuss the issues of the critical compatibility of local plans;
• To the relative inability of local land-use plans of setting a global framework for the dynamics and the changing patterns of activities currently at play on the metropolitan space, which usually transcend political boundaries;
• To the overlapping of decision levels, and to the multiplicity of institutions, resulting in local actions with a diversified and independent nature, and therefore leading to potential tensions and conflicts.

The development of this analysis has allowed to define a set of strategic orientations and policy recommendations that should be given to the spatial planning of Porto Metropolitan Area.

Research Team

• Prof. Isabel Breda Vázquez (coord.)
• Joaquim Magalhães

Financial Support

• Porto Metropolitan Authority

Stage of Progress

• Concluded (2000-2001)