Toolkit for Land Development
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About this good practice
Flanders is a densely populated region, where the remaining open spaces are very fragmented, in terms of ownership and management, often making the realization of societal goals complex.
Since 1988, the Flemish Land Agency (VLM) has been implementing land development to organize rural areas according to their area designation. In 2014, the land development decree was approved, significantly modifying the procedure and and possibilities of land development. This decree facilitates quicker realizations on the field and promotes involvement of private and local partners.
A crucial component of the decree is the introduction of a 'toolkit', a collection of various instruments that governments can use to shape spatial policy. These instruments, which pertain to area development, management, land acquisition, land mobility, and accompanying policy, can be deployed customarily and in conjunction for a wide range of plans and projects that contribute to the preservation and development of open space in Flanders. It includes various mechanisms to mobilize lands, realize societal services on private lands, and facilitate projects.
The toolkit can be used for a variety of projects, such as connecting a village center with a green zone, promoting trade in village centers, addressing water overflow in residential zones, and creating new green meeting spaces. It can be used by the Flemish Government but also by regional governments to accomplish their own plans and projects.
Resources needed
The Flemish government provides a budget of € 4.7 million per year to realise its own land development projects.
Local governments that want to use the toolkit, need to provide own budget.
66 FTE work at VLM to realise its own development projects and offer support to local governments.
Evidence of success
The Land Development Decree is evaluated every 5 years, a first evaluation completed in June 2020,reveals that:
- Nearly all instruments from the toolbox have been used at least once.
- Interest in land development via Track 1 (Flanders) has significantly increased, with seven new projects and one program-based approach.
- For Track 2 (local governments), five development plans have been established, with increasing interest from local governments due to available supporting instruments.
Potential for learning or transfer
The "toolkit" offers a versatile approach to land development that can be adapted to different contexts and regions. It can serve as a model for other regions facing similar challenges.
Comparing to traditional grey infrastructure, nature based solutions in particular, require more land, often - privately owned. The toolkit offers a range of options to acquire land or to create infrastructure on privately owned land.