geneva th 40 world congress - are.admin.ch€¦ · this publication has been occasioned by the 40th...

International Society of City and Regional Planners Federal Office for Spatial Development

Special Bulletin

Spatial planning in Switzerland

200418 – 22 SeptemberGeneva, Switzerland

COPC

GenevaWorld CongressWorld Congress4040thth

Impressum

EditorInternational Society of City and Regional Planners (ISoCaRP)in co-operation withFederal Office for Spatial Development (ARE)

Editorial officeRolf Signer, (ISoCaRP)Martin Vinzens, (ARE)

TranslationFrench: Laurent Auberson, Florence Torre RubioGerman: Susanne Alpiger, contra-punto: Helen GlaserEnglish: bmp translations ag: Jane Catterall

RealisationReproplan AG, Chur

PictureHenri Leuzinger : page 3 / 17 / 33Hans Zimmermann: page 7

PrintReproplan AG, Chur

DistributionInternet : www.are.ch

© CopyrightFederal Office for Spatial Development (ARE)International Society of City and Regional Planner (ISoCaRP)

Reproductions require express written permission from the publisher. Bern 09.2004

Spatial planning inSwitzerland

40th World Congress of ISoCaRP –International Society of City andRegional Planners in Geneva

Contents

Urban Switzerland – the challenges of spatial planning policy 2Prof. Dr. Pierre-Alain Rumley, Director of Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Spatial planning in Switzerland 5Swiss Planning Association

Swiss Planning Policy Guidelines 10Fritz Wegelin, Deputy Director of Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Fred Baumgartner, Head of Settlements and Landscape Section, Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Agglomeration policy in Switzerland 13Georg Tobler, Head of Agglomeration Policy Strategy Group, Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Swiss transport policy 16Barbara Schär, Transport Policy Section, Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Switzerland and the EU’s INTERREG programmes 19Armand Monney, Silvia Jost, International Affairs, Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Geneva, a cross-border conurbation 21Fred Wenger, Architect and planner, Urbaplan SA, Lausanne

Cross-border territorial planning:the case of southern Switzerland and the Lombardy region of Italy 23Benedetto Antonini, consultant to the Cantonal Department of Spatial Planning, canton of Ticino

From divided city to transnational conurbation 26Hans-Georg Bächtold, cantonal planner and Head of the Planning Department, canton of Basel-Landschaft

Controlling residential and transport development in fast-growing urban landscapes 29Dr. Christian Gabathuler, cantonal planner, Office of Spatial Planning and Surveying of the canton of Zurich

Interreg III B – Alpine Space:Participation of Swiss cantons in transnational spatial development schemes 32Cla Semadeni, Head of Office for Spatial Planning, canton of Grison

Geneva 2004World Congressth40

This publication has been occasioned by the 40th

World Congress of the International Society of Cityand Regional Planners (ISoCaRP) in Geneva. We areeager to provide our foreign guests – who includeprofessional planners, economists and authorityrepresentatives – with an impression of spatial de-velopment and spatial planning policies in Switzer-land. With urban development topping the confer-ence agenda, it is only appropriate to give this issueparticular prominence in our brochure. The population of Switzerland currently stands at7.4 million. With a geographical area of 42’000 km2,the country is small compared to its neighbours.Given that a mere 30percent of this is amenable todevelopment, the strong pressure from competingand, in some cases, conflicting land use demands ishardly surprising. Hence the need for clear-sightedcontrol and co-ordination strategies in urban andtransport planning. Before you delve into the individual articles, I shouldlike to familiarize you with a few key features of theSwiss planning framework. Spatial development inSwitzerland is federally organized. In its spatial plan-ning act, the Swiss Confederation outlines targetsand principles along with key procedures and toolsthat are designed to ensure a rational use of landand appropriate settlement growth. The responsibil-ity for implementing these provisions lies with the26 cantons and 2’780 municipalities. The amended Federal Constitution, as adopted bythe Swiss population in a referendum in 1999, nowgives considerable weight to two key issues of sig-nificance to spatial development. The first concernsthe commitment to sustainable development, whilethe second centres on the Confederation’s closercollaboration with the towns/cities and agglomera-tions and the federal assistance provided for co-op-eration within the agglomerations.

What changes has urban Switzerland undergone?

While the clear-cut distinction between constructionand construction-free zones provided by planninglegislation has nipped in the bud many potentiallyflawed planning developments, it failed to stem theurban sprawl of the 1980s and 1990s. The upshot isa still-expanding hotchpotch of settlements in theSwiss central plateau, coupled with a proliferation

Prof. Dr. Pierre-Alain RumleyDirector of Swiss Federal Office for

Spatial Development ARE

Urban Switzerland – the challenges of

spatial planning policy

2

of private motorised transport above all, as well ashigh operation and maintenance costs for infra-structure, severe pollution and the blighting of land-scapes and scenery – our key tourist attraction. The three large metropolitan areas of Zurich, Gene-va/Lausanne and Basel have become key commercialcentres in Switzerland. This is due, in large part, tothe outstanding private motorised and public trans-port infrastructure provided at these locations. TheSwiss metropolitan areas are small compared tothose in other countries. Indeed, one striking fea-ture of urban Switzerland is that it comprises a mul-titude of small and medium-sized towns or citieswith catchment areas extending ever farther intotheir rural surroundings.73 percent of the population currently lives intowns, cities or conurbations. At 82 percent, theproportion of jobs located in these areas is evengreater. The high priority attached to mobility is ex-acerbating traffic problems, especially in the largeragglomerations. In the wake of deindustrialisation, Swiss industryhas withdrawn from the urban realm. Quite apartfrom the general decline in industrial employment,the migration of jobs from the urban centres to theareas surrounding the cities and conurbations is onereason for the many disused industrial sites. In fact,together, the unused and underused industrial sitesin Switzerland account for an area the size of thecity of Geneva. Unique opportunities beckon for the

promotion of «inward» urban development and en-hancement of civic amenity through suitable regen-eration schemes.

Tackling new challenges

The lifestyle of the population has changed radical-ly, blurring the once clear distinction between urbanand rural space. Mass mobility has triggered a shiftin shopping and leisure patterns. Higher demandsare placed on dwelling space and the quality of theliving environment. The division of work betweenthe sexes is changing. The population is growingand, above all, ageing. Towns and cities are increas-ingly facing the consequences and needs of a multi-cultural population. The steady growth in traffic volumes and continuinghigh land take for urban development fly in the faceof all sustainability precepts. The overriding chal-lenge is to check the sprawling expansion of conur-bations and safeguard civic amenity in the built en-vironment to make room for space that offersgenuine quality of life. With its agglomeration poli-cy, the Swiss Confederation aims to usher in a newstrategy of collaboration and inward urban develop-ment. Only attractive, vibrant metropolitan areas and ur-ban regions can hold their own in face of global lo-cational competition. These drivers of the Swisseconomy need to be protected and strengthened.


Yet these broad-brush issues contrast with localisedinstitutional structures in a country that exhibitsenormous political and cultural diversity. This willpose a stiff test for a national planning system runon federal principles. At the same time, Switzerland is not an island with-in Europe. The integration of the Swiss urban net-work in the European system of metropolitan areasand the cultivation of cross-border collaboration arekey planning policy objectives. Outlined above are some of the principal challengesconfronting urban Switzerland today and tomor-row. Through our spatial development strategies,we seek to shape the future in such a way as to safe-guard the options of coming generations. The 40th ISoCaRP World Congress is being held inone of Switzerland’s most beautiful cities. I wishthose attending a stimulating and rewarding timeand hope the event will receive a warm receptionfrom planners, architects, urbanists, authority repre-sentatives, companies, students and the generalpublic.

4

Swiss Planning Association

Spatial planning in Switzerland

1. Comprehensive planning and co-ordinationobligation for all authorities

The new article on spatial planning, incorporated inthe Federal Constitution in 1969, transferred re-sponsibility for framework spatial planning legisla-tion to the Confederation. However, practical plan-ning implementation was to remain essentially amatter for the cantons, which in turn often delegatea number of tasks to the municipalities (local au-thorities). In addition to this federal framework leg-islation, the Confederation promotes and co-ordi-nates the spatial planning of the cantons and alsotakes into consideration the «demands» of spatialplanning in its own activities. However, the reality of Swiss spatial planning is notas simple as stated in the article of the Constitution.In fact, Confederation, cantons and municipalitiesare jointly responsible for ensuring economical landuse. They do this, inter alia, by harmonizing their ac-tivities which have spatial impact and «implement-ing planning which is orientated towards the de-sired development of the country». In detail, thetasks of the Law on Spatial Planning are distributedas follows:

2. The spatial planning tasks of theConfederation

2.1 Framework legislationIn the matter of legislation, the Confederation mustlimit itself to laying down principles. The principlesmay indeed touch on the whole range of spatialplanning tasks, but should not deal with the sub-jects in depth. However, the Confederation may reg-ulate in detail particularly important areas which arekey for the whole of Switzerland, such as the imple-mentation of the principle of the separation ofbuilding zones and non-building zones as laid downin the Constitution. Federal law principles relate in particular to– the aims and planning principles which must be

considered for any spatial planning;– the planning instruments and related rules of pro-

cedure;– those individual questions which are central for

the overall functioning of spatial planning, suchas the permit obligation for all buildings and in-stallations, the size of building zones, exceptional


Genf

Waadt

Neuenburg

Wallis

Tessin

Graubünden

Bern

Freiburg

JuraSolothurn

Zürich

Luzern

Uri

Basel-Stadt

Basel-Land

Thurgau

Schaffhausen

St.Gallen

Nidwalden

Obwalden

Appenzell (AR)Appenzell (AI)

Zug

Schwyz

Aargau

Glarus

Inhabitants (2000) town center agglomeration

Zürich 363 273 1 080 728Genève 177 964 645 608Basel 166 558 731 167Bern 128 634 349 096Lausanne 124 914 311 441

Sources: INFOPLAN-ARE, GEOSTAT-BFS, SABE, © ARE

permission for building outside building zonesand ensuring the infrastructure provision of build-ing land.

2.2 Promotion and co-ordination of cantonalspatial planning

Co-operation of the Confederation with the cantonsis a central postulate of co-operative federalism. TheConfederation promotes and co-ordinates the spa-tial planning of the cantons first and foremostthrough the aforementioned framework legislationand through the approval of cantonal structureplans. However, it also has a duty to co-ordinate itsown tasks with the spatial planning of the cantons.Important instruments for this are the basic studiesdrawn up by the Confederation and its planning in-struments, the sectoral strategies and sectoral plans.An example to illustrate the necessity for a sectoralplan is provided by the aviation sector: The SectoralPlan for Aviation Infrastructure is intended toachieve the necessary co-ordination with the spatialplanning of the cantons. The sectoral plan is not di-rectly binding on private individuals, but lays downhow the Confederation should make use of its deci-sion-making scope when issuing permits and li-cences under aviation law.

2.3 Taking account of spatial planning whenfulfilling federal tasks

When fulfilling the tasks conferred on it, the Con-federation is also bound by the aims and principlesof spatial planning. Therefore, at all levels of action– planning, legislation, administration, case-law – itremains subject to spatial planning law itself. Beingtied to the «demands» of spatial planning alsomeans that the Confederation is bound by cantonallaw and the planning studies based on it unless ex-empted by special provisions. Finally, approval ofcantonal structure plans by the Confederation en-sures that cantonal spatial planning does not unlaw-fully hinder the Confederation from fulfilling its du-ties.

3. The spatial planning tasks of the cantons

According to the text of the Federal Constitution,the cantons are responsible for the actual «cre-ation» of spatial planning.

3.1 Spatial planning and building regulationsThe cantons enact cantonal implementing legisla-tion for the Federal Law on Spatial Planning. As al-ready mentioned, the federal law lays down only theprinciples and therefore does not constitute a set ofrules which answers all important questions. Can-tonal spatial planning and building regulations alsocontain public building regulations, and often roadconstruction regulations and regulations on build-ing land rationalisation. In simple terms, the canton-al public building regulations are concerned withthe requirements for building, the integration andform of buildings as well as for construction, opera-tion and maintenance. In addition, there are rules ofprocedure. When enacting their spatial planningregulations, the cantons are bound by the aims andprinciples as well as the instruments of the federallaw. This together with the related case-law of theFederal Court allows a certain standardization ofplanning law. However the spatial planning andbuilding regulations of the cantons differ markedlyfrom each other in the extent of regulation and theterminology.

3.2 Cantonal structure planThe main planning instrument of the cantons is thestructure plan (Richtplan in German, plan directeurin French), which is subject to approval by the Feder-al Council. The structure plan shows how the manyactivities of the Confederation, the cantons and themunicipalities (local authorities) which have spatialimpact are to be harmonized with each other in thearea. The structure plan also deals with the questionof when and how the public tasks which have spa-tial impact are to be carried out. This produces aplan binding on the authorities which, in agreementwith the Confederation, shows neighbouring can-tons and bordering countries how cantonal spatialplanning is intended to progress towards the de-sired spatial development. Depending on the stateof planning work, the information may be simplyorientations, interim results or firm statements. Theymay concern public transport networks, nature con-servation areas of cantonal importance, sites forwaste disposal facilities and the like to name but afew. The cantonal structure plan is therefore not anoutline of a «desirable final state» of the cantonalterritory, but a process plan for co-ordinating andsteering the next stages of spatial development al-

6

ready underway. A map serves to clarify and definethe content of the structure plan. During the courseof the structure plan process, inconsistencies andconflicts become clear, which can be resolved in theprescribed spatial planning procedure. Structureplans are constantly adjusted in line with develop-ments and revised at least every ten years.

3.3 Regional planning associationsLarge cantons often delegate supramunicipal spatialplanning tasks to public-law planning associations(regional planning associations). In the cantonZurich, for example, these draw up regional struc-ture plans, which develop spatial planning on thebasis of the structure plan for the whole canton. InGeneva, a structure plan for the Swiss-French metro-politan area is available (Charte de l’agglomérationFranco-Valdo-Genevoise).

4. Municipal land use planning

Most Swiss cantons have a highly developed munic-ipal federalism. In the spatial planning sector, thefollowing demarcation of responsibility is often un-dertaken in these cantons: whilst the canton is re-sponsible for structure plans binding on authoritiesand covering its whole territory, it hands over to themunicipalities land use planning binding on

landowners, in particular delimitation of the build-ing area from the non-building area and determina-tion of the type and extent of specific building use inthe building zones. The land use plans (Nutzungsplan in German, pland’affectation in French) must meet the provisions ofthe Federal Law on Spatial Planning. The rules aremore detailed here than in the case of cantonalstructure plans, because land use planning is as-signed the important task of laying down theboundary between building zones and non-buildingzones. Building zones must respect the planningaims and principles and must not exceed the sizelaid down in federal law. In addition, the standardsof environmental law must increasingly be taken in-to account. Designation of a building zone requires,for example, that certain noise pollution values arenot exceeded. Inextricably linked with the specifica-tion of building zones is the task that these shouldthen be serviced for development and made readyfor building. The restriction of building to buildingzones only makes sense if the latter marked out forthe needs of fifteen years ahead and are made readyfor building in appropriate stages. Another task ofthe municipalities is the financing of building landinfrastructure provision. It is a matter for the can-tons or municipalities to regulate this. Landownersare usually involved in the financing of building land


infrastructure provision with contributions. Munici-pal land use planning should not simply cover thebuilding zone but should also include the areaoutside the building zone. Zones with particularpurposes can be designated there (e.g. disposal ofmaterial, small village zones, ski slopes etc.). Desig-nation of protected zones based on landscape plan-ning is also imperative in most cases. Since municipalities have considerable decision-making scope, they draw up overall concepts andmunicipal structure plans for their area as the basisfor land use planning and co-ordination with theirother public tasks.The tasks of cantonal structure planning and munic-ipal land use planning are interlinked in a variety ofways. In this sense, one can talk about a dual hierar-chy in cantonal spatial planning:– Even though the municipalities are responsible for

land use planning, they must respect the plans ofthe higher state level.

– Swiss planning instruments provide for variouslevels: the structure plan binding on the authori-ties sets requirements for land use planning bind-ing on landowners and this in turn usually limitsthe possibilities of the even more detailed specialland use plans which often regulate very specificbuilding projects (also called «Gestaltungsplan»,«Überbauungsordnung», «Bebauungsplan» [lo-cal plan]).

Most cantons delegate the tasks of infrastructureprovision for building land, building land rationali-sation and issuing building permits to the munici-

palities. The permit responsibility of the municipali-ties for buildings outside the building zones (mostlyagricultural land) is ruled out by the Federal Law onSpatial Planning: permits require the approval of acantonal authority at least.

5. Material planning aims and principles of the Federal Law on Spatial Planning

5.1 Economical land useThe Federal Law on Spatial Planning lays down theaims and principles of spatial planning for the wholeof Switzerland. Its primary aim is economical use ofthe limited land area. The importance of this aimcan be understood better if one considers that only30 percent of the comparatively small area of thecountry of 42’000 km2 is suitable for intensive hu-man use. High mountains, forests and water bodiestake up a large area. This 30 percent of the land areahas to provide adequate space for all needs such ashousing, employment, transport, leisure, agricul-ture, nature conservation etc. The aim of economicalland use covers two aspects :– In view of the continuous and rapid spread of set-

tlements during the last decades, land consump-tion must be restricted. Agglomeration andchange of use in the existing settlement area arecentral.

– Economical land use, however, also means opti-mum spatial organisation of the different land us-es. Concentration of buildings in a well servicedsettlement area ensures economical land usemuch better than creating small scattered settle-ments each with its own infrastructure provision.

5.2 Co-ordination requirementThe second aim of Swiss spatial planning is the co-ordination of all activities with spatial impact carriedout by the federal, cantonal and municipal authori-ties. It goes without saying that successful co-ordi-nation contributes towards economical use of land.For example, a lack of co-ordination between thearrangement of residential areas (municipal landuse planning) and the building of transport infra-structures (primarily federal planning) can result inneither being used appropriately. A lack of co-ordi-nation therefore leads to plans being impossible toimplement and finally to bad investments.

8

Most important planning instruments

ConfederationSectoral strategies and sectoral plans

Canton Cantonal structure plan

Region Regional structure plan

Commune

Communal structure plan Land use plan

Legal basis

Com

mun

al

build

ing

regu

latio

n

Spat

ial p

lann

ing

and

build

ing

regu

latio

n

Fede

ral C

onst

itutio

n,

Law

on

Spat

ial P

lann

ing

Overview of the planning instruments and the legal basis in Switzerland

5.3 Orientation towards the desired spatialdevelopment

The third aim demands that the activities of the au-thorities which have spatial impact be orientated to-wards a desired spatial development. The necessaryspatial planning concept is laid down at federal lev-el in the «Swiss Planning Policy Guidelines» and atcantonal level in the corresponding «Spatial Devel-opment Guidelines» and structure plans. An impor-tant element of planning policy expressed there isthe orientation towards «decentralized concentra-tion», i.e. a network of compact settlement areas ofdifferent sizes. This does not mean settlement devel-opment simply in the large agglomerations of theSwiss Plateau. The agglomerations and regional cen-tres in the Alpine valleys also have important poten-tial for growth. In pursuing these aims, the needs of people and theenvironment must be considered equally. The for-ward-looking spatial planning required is thus notsimply an instrument for promoting economic devel-opment, but also conservation and environmentalprotection that are precautionary in nature. Spatialplanning also makes an important contribution tohousing construction policy, to promoting the coun-try’s disadvantaged regions, to agricultural policyand to national defence. It is not possible to laydown in law which needs should prevail in case ofprocedures. The answer must be provided by plan-ning procedures, comprehensive balancing of inter-ests and finally by the subsequent political decisions.

5.4 Planning principles as aids to decision-makingTo balance the different spatial planning aims, Art. 3of the Law on Spatial Planning lays down a numberof «planning principles». These are decision-makingcriteria which are intended to act as a guide to bal-ancing interests. The planning principles do not inthemselves form a definitive consistent system, sothat they have to be weighed against each other ineach individual case. Planning principles are for instance the preservationof the landscape by e.g. protecting cultivable agri-cultural land. Furthermore, the arrangement of set-tlements according to the needs of the inhabitantsand limitation of settlements is demanded. Thisprinciple should be achieved by appropriate locationof homes and workplaces and adequate linking bypublic transport, for example.


Issued by the Swiss government in 1996, the SwissPlanning Policy Guidelines provide the national par-liament, cantons and general public with an outlineof federal policy on spatial development and physi-cal planning.

Background

The Swiss government’s planning policy report wasbased on a highly critical assessment of past urbandevelopment trends, in particular the continuingsurge in land take and urban sprawl, despite theconsiderable development reserves available withinexisting built-up areas. These trends not only pre-vent the creation of urban amenity, but also inflatethe costs of the construction, operation and mainte-nance of infrastructure. With the growth of agglomerations, many problemsregarding transport, pollution and the funding andoperation of major facilities require solutions tran-scending municipal boundaries ; successful collabo-ration between the individual conurbation munici-palities thereby becomes a key success factor for themaintenance and improvement of amenity for thepopulation and of locational quality for business.In rural areas too, the Swiss government views thegeneral direction of spatial development as prob-lematic. At the same time, the underlying frame-work and trends in rural Switzerland vary substan-tially from region to region: sprawl and visible signsof environmental strain in tourist areas, multi-func-tionality of the cultural landscape jeopardized by

10

Fritz Wegelin, Deputy Director of Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Fred Baumgartner, Head of Settlements andLandscape Section, Swiss Federal Office

for Spatial Development ARE

Swiss Planning Policy Guidelines

� big-city agglomerations of international importance

� agglomerations of national importance� centralurban agglomerations

of regional importance� smallurban agglomerations

of regional importance� regional centers� large tourism centers� foreign centers

Fundamentals of the area planning Switzerland, Berne 1996, interlaced city system Switzerland

dramatic shifts in agricultural economics and thesteady deterioration of regional economic structuresin the peripheral Alpine areas away from tourist cen-tres.

Strategies

The Swiss Planning Policy Guidelines do not enshrinea fixed vision of how the country’s built environ-ment and landscape should one day be. Instead, thereport sets out a cohesive raft of principles to ensurethe consistency of federal policies and measures inplanning-related issues.The concept of an interlinked system of towns/citiesand rural areas is fundamental to the planning poli-cy guidelines. Such a network – not confined totransport – is seen as a means of diminishing and al-leviating imbalances and potential conflicts of inter-est between different parts of the country, urbanand rural areas, centre and periphery. Sustainabilityand the unity of Switzerland as a federally organizedcountry, with its immense geographical, culturaland commercial diversity, form the cornerstones ofphysical planning policy. Key planks in a sustainableapproach to spatial development include the moreefficient use of existing built-up areas and a focuson inward rather than greenfield development.The strategies proposed for urban areas are aimedat boosting the appeal of towns, cities and agglom-erations as places to live and work. This can only beachieved by a comprehensive regime of urban re-newal. An efficient, spatially economical, environ-mentally friendly transport system, the enhance-ment of living quality through mixed-use planningand good public transport access, flexibility andadaptability for companies faced with economicshifts – these will be the focus of future agglomera-tion policies.In view of the quickening pace of structural change,the Confederation’s rural development strategiesare geared to the varying potential offered by thecentral plateau area, Jura arc, Alpine foothills andSwiss Alps. Rural areas need both greater self-suffi-ciency and efficient links to the national and region-al urban centres.Finally, Switzerland is not an island in Europe: in thecontext of increasing European integration, the link-ing-up of the Swiss urban network to the Europeansystem of metropolitan areas and the cultivation of

cross-border collaboration are central to spatialplanning policy.

Achievements so far

The release of the Swiss Planning Policy Guidelines in1996 set in motion a wide range of positive develop-ments. Overall, despite many unsolved problems,considerable progress has been achieved on theaforementioned issues. The Swiss Confederation hasdrawn up and implemented its announced agglom-eration policy. Planning-related political issues suchas financial equalization and regional policy are un-dergoing a fundamental overhaul. Considerableheadway has been made with the concepts and sec-toral plans developed at federal level. Decision-mak-ing processes have been simplified and the associat-ed co-ordination improved. The dialogue betweenpartners at federal, cantonal and urban/municipallevel has been stepped up and structural planningbetter co-ordinated, while cross-border collabora-tion has also intensified. At the same time, progresshas been made in reconciling the needs of spatialplanning and environmental protection. Yet, despite this success, many current features ofspatial development run counter to the objectivesunderlying the guidelines: urban sprawl and exces-sive land take continue to figure prominently. Anamorphous hotchpotch of settlements and spi-ralling traffic volumes are the result. Settlement ar-eas have grown out of all proportion to the rise inpopulation, with no turnaround in sight. Urban de-velopment is eating up ever more greenfield land,thus flouting all the economic, environmental andsocial precepts of sustainability. Moreover, regionaldiscrepancies reminiscent of the post-war years arere-emerging. The measures adopted to date have been necessaryand proper, though in no way adequate to satisfythe constitutional requirement (Art. 75) of ensuringthe appropriate and rational use of land and suit-able development control. The scope of the avail-able instruments therefore needs to be amended orbroadened. For improved control of spatial develop-ment, the freedoms enjoyed by municipal planningdepartments must be underpinned by more bindingtargets imposed from above. New instruments, suchas agglomeration programmes, land take thresholdsor market-economy tools, are required.


A spatial planning report, based on an evaluation ofthe measures and developments to date, will at-tempt to stimulate discussion by outlining futurescenarios along with the various strategic options.Wide-ranging discussions and consultations in 2005will culminate in a revision of the Planning PolicyGuidelines. The new document will need to be moreconcrete, participative and binding than the currentframework if we truly wish to tackle the problem ofland consumption and urban sprawl.

12

Georg Tobler, Head of Agglomeration PolicyStrategy Group, Swiss Federal Office

for Spatial Development ARE

Agglomeration policy in Switzerland

Challenges facing urban Switzerland

Just under 75 percent of Switzerland’s resident pop-ulation lives in urban areas1. The living, business andcultural environment they provide is particularly cru-cial to the country. Yet, these urban areas are todayconfronted by a host of problems that are jeopard-izing the maintenance and improvement of amenityfor the population and locational quality for busi-ness.The Swiss conurbations continue to encroach on ru-ral areas. At the same time, the typical distances be-tween home, workplace and recreational venues areon the rise owing to a combination of economictrends and underpriced mobility. Moreover, socialsegregation is becoming an increasingly prominentfeature of agglomerations. Yet these broad-brush is-sues contrast with localized institutional structures:agglomerations frequently extend beyond cantonaland national boundaries, while the municipalitiesare very small by international standards and enjoy alarge measure of autonomy. What is more, Switzer-land’s federal system entails an elaborate division ofresponsibilities between the Confederation, the can-tons and the municipalities.

The Confederation responds

The Swiss Confederation has recognized its duty tohelp solve the problems and provide support to ur-ban centres. At the end of 2001, the Swiss govern-ment approved a report on federal agglomerationpolicy2, which was triggered by a new article in theFederal Constitution that obliges the Confederationto give due consideration to the particular situationof the towns/cities and agglomerations3.Given the social and economic significance of urbancentres, the sustainable development of the livingenvironment in Switzerland is inextricably linked tothe sustainable development of urban space. Fromthis principle, the Confederation derives three keyobjectives : – First, the economic appeal of the towns and cities

needs to be enhanced and civic amenity improvedfor the population.

– Second, every effort must be made to preserveSwitzerland’s decentralized urban system, with itscomplementary and mutually supportive townsand cities of different sizes and functions.


1 Urban areas specifically comprise: agglomerations (comprising core city and ag-glomeration municipalities), individual towns/cities, cross-border agglomerations andmetropolitan areas. Allocation to one of these categories is governed by definitionsdrawn up by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office and is subject to revision every 10years on the basis of the national census. Commuter statistics are particularly rele-vant for classification.

2 The report and a summary (in German, French and Italian) may be downloaded fromthe ARE website (http://www.are.admin.ch) or are obtainable from the Swiss FederalOffice for Buildings and Logistics (Bundesamt für Bauten und Logistik) (order no.812.012 d / f / i).

3 Art. 50, Para 3, Swiss Federal Constitution

tions in the adoption of this approach, and will offersuitable incentives.

Model projects

Some agglomerations have recognized the need foraction and are developing innovative projects. TheSwiss Confederation seeks to encourage those im-plementing such measures, while also ensuring thatother conurbations benefit from the results and areinspired to embark on similar schemes of their own.For this reason, the Confederation has launched themodel projects initiative as a key plank in its ag-glomeration policy. The Confederation is currently sponsoring 25 modelprojects throughout Switzerland, which feature awide variety of methods and approaches. Some ofthe schemes are initially limited in scope and prima-rily serve to foster a spirit of partnership. Other proj-ects start from a broad thematic analysis of the col-laboration required. With some, the focus is onstructural issues. There are projects in Alpine andborder areas, urban development schemes and ini-tiatives to co-ordinate settlement and transportplanning4.

– Third, the growth of agglomerations is to be con-tained, in large part, within their existing bound-aries (inward urban development). Continuingurban sprawl is undesirable for economic, envi-ronmental and planning reasons.

Two key elements : co-ordination and collaboration

No long-term solutions will be found to the prob-lems facing agglomerations as long as the actiontaken by municipalities is limited to their own terri-tories and to individual sectors. As the Confedera-tion sees it, at least two elements are key to solvingthe problems in conurbations : – Collaboration within the agglomerations needs to

be improved. Although the relevant municipalitiesalready co-operate within a wide range of commit-tees and legal entities, these partnerships are gen-erally on a sectoral basis and vary widely in scope.

– An integral approach is required to tackle theproblems. Improved co-ordination is needed be-tween the different sectoral policy areas, particu-larly between urban development and transport.

The Confederation aims to support the agglomera-

14

Basel

Genève

Lausanne

Lugano

LocarnoSion

Bern

Luzern

ZürichWinterthur

St.Gallen

Chur

�� Agglomerations 2000

Source: INFOPLAN-ARF, GEOSTAT-BFS, SABE © ARE

Agglomeration programmes

A new instrument, the agglomeration programme,is designed to improve collaboration and co-ordina-tion within conurbations. An implementation-ori-ented tool should be developed by the agglomera-tions to serve as a vehicle for all conurbation-relatedissues, such as social and cultural policy, spatialplanning, etc. It is not intended as a panacea to rem-edy all problems and accommodate all measures,but as a means of picking out priority issues fromthe general framework and implementing the nec-essary action concertedly and efficiently5. To encour-age use of this tool, the Swiss Confederation pro-vides financial incentives : it has pledged to accept ashare of the costs for the conurbation transport sys-tem provided conurbations can demonstrate the op-timum alignment of urban and transport planningwithin the framework of the agglomeration pro-gramme. Over 20 agglomeration programmes arecurrently being developed, with initial drafts sched-uled for the end of 2004.

Agglomerations – a federal challenge

Ultimately, the Swiss Confederation is forced to takea back-seat role in matters of agglomeration policy.The cantons, towns/cities and municipalities are thekey players, without whose close collaboration theproblems facing conurbations cannot be solved.Hence the establishment, in early 2001, of the Tri-partite Agglomeration Conference (Tripartite Ag-glomerationskonferenz, TAK), a forum in whichpoliticians from all three levels of government worktogether in formulating joint agglomeration poli-cies. At present, the focus is on foreign nationals,their integration and social policy. The TAK has alsodrawn up recommendations on collaboration withinconurbations.

Final thoughts

Agglomeration issues are now firmly on the politicalagenda and the need to act is undisputed. The Con-

federation has managed to keep up the momentumby offering carefully targeted incentives. For the firsttime ever, federal planning agencies are in a positionto offer financial rewards for greater collaborationand the improved co-ordination of urban and trans-port planning. This unique opportunity must not besquandered.


4 A brief description of each model project may be downloaded (in German, Frenchand Italian) from www.are.ch.

5 A summary of the agglomeration programme may be downloaded (in German, Frenchand Italian) from www.are.ch.

Barbara Schär, Transport Policy Section, Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Swiss transport policy1

1. Departmental strategy

Swiss transport policy is geared to the principle ofsustainability as formulated by the Swiss Federal De-partment of Environment, Transport, Energy andCommunications (DETEC) in its departmental strate-gy of May 20012. This states, as its primary principle,the implementation of an integrated transport poli-cy. Means of implementing this policy include theareas of technology, infrastructure and operation,with guaranteed provision of a basic nationwideservice and a broader application of the «polluter-pays» principle. Moreover, of growing importance inrecent years have been the co-ordination of Swissand European transport policies and the mainte-nance of high traffic safety standards.

2. Planned and ongoing concepts andmeasures

Sustainable policies have been successfully appliedto the heavy-goods transport sector in recent yearswith the launch of various schemes.In a referendum on 20 February 1994, the Swisspeople voted in favour of the Alpine Protection Ini-tiative. In addition to rejecting any further expan-sion of motorways through the Alps, this initiativecalled for the transfer of freight from road to rail. Byadopting the initiative, the Swiss population cameout expressly in favour of a shift from road to rail forthe first time. Now as a part of the Federal Constitu-tion, the new provisions have significantly shapedthe development of freight transport policy inSwitzerland, in which the improvement of themodal split enjoys high priority. The move to shift freight to the rail system is fo-cused on four main areas:– Bilateral Overland Transport Agreement between

Switzerland and the EUThe Bilateral Overland Transport Agreement be-tween Switzerland and the EU forms the basis foran improved co-ordination of transport policy inthe Alpine region. One key element of the agree-ment, from a Swiss perspective, is the incrementalincrease of the weight limit for trucks (from 28 to34 tonnes in 2001, rising to 40 tonnes as of2005). The abolition of the 28-tonne limit, one ofthe EU’s essential prerequisites for the successfulconclusion of these negotiations, represents a vi-

16

1 This article will ignore aviation issues as these go beyond the present scope.2 DETEC strategy (German, French and Italian) : http: //www.uvek.admin.ch/departe-

ment/div/00501/index.html?lang=de

able solution for the Swiss side given that 40-tonne vehicles are able to carry more freight perjourney. This is one of the reasons why there hasbeen a decrease in road performance on Swissroads since 2001. Another important point is theacceptance by the EU of the distance-relatedHeavy Vehicle Fee.

– Distance-related Heavy Vehicle Fee (HVF)The Heavy Vehicle Fee is a fee which, for the firsttime, includes the external costs of freight trans-port in infrastructure charging. The rate of theHVF depends on the kilometres travelled on Swissroads, on the maximum permitted weight and onthe pollutants emitted by the vehicle. Applicationof the polluter-pays principle in allocating costs toheavy-goods traffic paves the way for fairer com-petition between road and rail. The HVF has nowbeen successfully in operation for 3 years: thekilometres travelled on Swiss roads have droppedby some 7 percent and the incentives to use lesspollutant vehicles are effective.

– Modernisation of railway infrastructureThe rail infrastructure modernisation programmeadopted by Parliament and the Swiss people pro-vides for investments to the tune of CHF 30 bil-lion (by 2015) and includes the construction of

two new Alpine transit tunnels (Gotthard andLötschberg). The modernisation schemes will belargely funded by income from the HVF.

– Rail reformInfrastructural improvements aside, the railwayneeds to become more competitive. This is thechief goal of the rail reform, the first stage ofwhich took effect on 1 January 1999. The rail re-form is to be seen as a process by which the rail-way system will be brought into line with neweconomic, social and political realities.

This four-pronged strategy is backed up by comple-mentary measures (e.g. compensation system forcombined transport, route price subsidies in railfreight sector).Private motorised transport is currently the domi-nant form of passenger transport. It is hoped,through its improved co-ordination with publictransport (road/rail) and non-motorised transport,that public transport’s share of the total will in-crease. To enhance the appeal of local, regional andintercity rail services, the Swiss Confederation hascommitted substantial investments in recent yearsto improvements in the public transport infrastruc-ture (high-speed links, Bahn 2000 rail improvementscheme, New Rail Link trough the Alps [NEAT]


Alpine transit schemes). It also plans to step up itsactivities in the fields of non-motorised, agglomera-tion and leisure transportation. These areas offergreat potential and, in some cases, considerablescope for achieving a more favourable modal split.Urgent action is needed in the agglomerations,where transport systems are stretched to breakingpoint. While financial support from the Confedera-tion is seen as the key to solving these problems,neither the legal framework nor the resources arecurrently available (following rejection, on 8 Febru-ary 2004, of the transport improvements put for-ward in the «Avanti» referendum counterproposal)and new solutions must now be sought3.In the non-motorised and leisure transport sectors,the Confederation plans to intensify its activities ata strategic level.In addition to the aforementioned projects andmeasures in the heavy goods and passenger sec-tors, the government has addressed a number ofother transport issues in recent years. These includeco-ordinated transport planning (transportationsectoral plan), the second phase of the Bahn 2000rail improvement scheme and the second part ofthe rail reform. The various measures, initiated or al-ready in force, will provide a sound basis for a sus-tainable transport policy.

18

3 If the proposed reorganisation of financial equalisation and division of responsibilitiesbetween the Swiss Confederation and cantons is adopted by referendum, it will cre-ate a constitutional basis for the co-funding by the Confederation of transport sys-tems in agglomerations.

Armand Monney, Silvia Jost, International Affairs,Swiss Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE

Switzerland and the EU’sINTERREG programmes

Swiss participation in INTERREG programmes

Switzerland has been involved in the INTERREG pro-gramme since the European Union launched thefirst INTERREG initiative in 1990. Several Swiss can-tons then participated in setting up cross-borderprojects. This was followed by the INTERREG II initia-tive, launched in 1995 for the period 1997 to 1999,part of which was devoted to cross-border co-oper-ation (later named INTERREG II A). At the time, theSwiss government proposed to parliament that abudget of CHF 24 million be allocated to supportthe cantons in their efforts to collaborate withneighbouring regions. As a result, Switzerland hasbeen a partner in five regional programmes coveringall of the country’s external borders. In 1996, the European Commission added a furtherdimension to the INTERREG II initiative (INTERREG IIC), primarily to encourage transnational co-opera-tion in the field of spatial development, flood pre-vention and efforts to combat drought. As part ofthis venture, Switzerland agreed to co-operate in atransnational area referred to as the «WesternMediterranean and Latin Alps». In parallel with thisINTERREG programme, the Commission launchedfive pilot activities, one covering the eastern Alps.Eight cantons in eastern Switzerland took part inthis pilot study.A further strengthening of trans-European coopera-tion was envisaged with the launch, on 28 April2000, of the INTERREG III initiative, which covers the2000 – 2006 period. On this occasion, the EuropeanCommission planned for a transnational dimension(INTERREG III B) with three carefully defined priori-ties, which also correspond exactly with the optionsof the European Spatial Development Concept (ES-DP). These priorities are territorial developmentstrategy, which includes the issues of polycentrismand urban/rural relations, the development of effi-cient and sustainable transport systems, access tothe information society and promotion of the envi-ronment, which includes sound management ofnatural and cultural heritage. To take part in this Eu-ropean programme, the Swiss government submit-ted a draft law to Parliament with a projected budg-et of CHF 29 million. Of this sum, six million francswere earmarked for transnational and inter-regionalco-operation.To set transnational co-operation in motion, the


European Commission, in consultation with theMember States, has defined thirteen transnationalareas. At the invitation of its neighbours, Switzer-land has shown interest in three of these: the AlpineSpace, North-West Europe and the Western Mediter-ranean. Switzerland supports this kind of co-opera-tion because – in compliance with the SwissPlanning Policy Guidelines (a general guidance doc-ument formulated at national level but withoutbinding legal status) – it is helpful in ensuring a bet-ter integration of Swiss territory into the overall or-ganisation of European territory. To ensure co-oper-ation while respecting the country’s federalcharacter, the Confederation has set up an organisa-tional structure which involves the cantons veryclosely. Working within this structure, it has beendecided to give priority to co-operation in the AlpineSpace, which in any case concerns all the cantons.

INTERREG III B projects involving Switzerland

Very many schemes were submitted in response tocause for project proposals relative to the threetransnational areas in which Switzerland is co-oper-ating. By mid-2004, the steering committees forthese areas had approved 60 projects in North-WestEurope, 44 in the Western Mediterranean, and 35 inthe Alpine Space. Of the 35 approved for the AlpineSpace, 30 involved Swiss partners, which effectivelyreflects Switzerland’s strategy of giving priority tothis area.As it is not easy to make transnational co-operationwork effectively, especially given the cultural diversi-ty of the regions involved, the first projects originat-ed from existing networks, some of which havebeen active for a long time in the Alpine region. Ofthe topics covered by INTERREG III B, the Swiss part-ners opted primarily for projects concerned withpolycentrism, urban/rural relations, and the protec-tion of historical monuments and the soil. In theAlpine Space, the risk of natural disasters figuredprominently among the concerns of the co-operat-ing parties. Public services and modern communica-tion technologies were also high on the list, howev-er. The partners are almost exclusively public-sectorcantonal bodies and institutes dependent upon thefurther education institutions invited to take part inthe projects.

The ESPON programme

Where the issue of spatial development is con-cerned, we must also mention ESPON (the EuropeanSpatial Planning Observation Network), which ispart of the INTERREG programme. Switzerland par-ticipates as a full partner in this network. Its involve-ment is positive, because it means that Switzerlandno longer features on maps produced by the statesof the European Union as a kind of no man’s land.The ESPON programme is also in Switzerland’s inter-ests because of its close links with the ESDP. More-over, one of the projects launched as part of thisprogramme is concerned with the implementationof the ESDP and its effects on Member States. It isimportant that the ESDP should not become a papertiger, but that it should be used to bring about con-crete spatial development initiatives in Europe. Inthis respect, the European Spatial Planning Observa-tion Network is a very useful instrument.Thanks to Switzerland’s full-partner status in thisprogramme, it has been possible to include Swiss re-search institutes (especially the Federal Institutes ofTechnology and universities) in a number of proj-ects. This also enables these third-level institutes tobe included in a European research network con-cerned with the challenges of spatial development.Topics regarded by Switzerland as a high priority interms of research collaboration are polycentrism,the spatial impact of transport infrastructures, spa-tial development scenarios, and territorial gover-nance.

Conclusion

Thanks to the diversity of its cultures and languages,and to its federal structures, Switzerland has a longtradition of inter-regional co-operation. It is there-fore a natural development that the country shouldbe willing to co-operate in cross-border matters, es-pecially in the field of spatial development. After all,it occupies a position right at the heart of Europe.

20

Fred WengerArchitect and planner, Urbaplan SA, Lausanne

Geneva, a cross-borderconurbation

Geneva owes its prosperity to the very specialstatus that its people have gradually established

by making good use of their independence atthe heart of a Europe characterised since the

Middle Ages by power struggles betweenpowerful states. Profiting from its

advantageous position on the internationalstage, and economic development

disproportionate to its real size, over the lasttwenty years Geneva has multiplied its efforts in

the field of cross-border co-operation with aview to controlling its urban expansion.

Geneva, an achievement which defiesgeography

«The awareness of having little to expect fromtheir restricted geographical territory has motivatedthe people of Geneva to create an abstract territoryof global scope.»

Prof. Claude Raffestin

These are the words used by the geographer ClaudeRaffestin, in an article published in 19891, to explainGeneva’s exceptional international status. How elsecould one account for this city’s importance and theplace it occupies on the international stage? Thepopulation of the canton of Geneva is barely half amillion2, the city has no «hinterland», its territory istiny. These factors all highlight the special status ofGeneva and the acumen of its inhabitants, who overthe centuries have exploited their political independ-ence and geographical isolation to place for them inan unparalleled position. And they have built this«abstract» territory on invisible foundations3: theebb and flow of commerce, the circulation of ideas,and the exchange of different currencies.In the Middle Ages, Geneva benefited from its statusas centre of trade, in Switzerland an in Europe. As aresult of its prosperity and independence, in the 16th

century it was able to welcome the thinkers of theReformation. As the «Protestant Rome», for almosttwo centuries it attracted and was home to largenumbers of highly talented immigrants, particularlyfrom France. It was then that Geneva established itstradition of welcoming refugees, but the chief ben-efit was to its manufacturing industries, in particularclock and watch-making. At the same time, Europe’semergent system of commercially based capitalismcould not function without Geneva and its bankingsystem. Thus the city carved out for itself a virtualspace which was global in scope. Attached toSwitzerland in 1815 after the Napoleonic wars, theRepublic and canton of Geneva succeeded in retain-ing its prerogatives, in spite of its new affiliation.Having become the hub of European tourism in the18th and 19th centuries, Geneva finally consolidatedits international vocation when it was designated asthe seat of the League of Nations, in 1920, then ofthe United Nations, after World War II. This enabledGeneva to function as the key centre for internation-


1 Les paradoxes genevois [The Geneva Paradoxes], Claude Raffestin, in revue SIAno 10/89, «Genève et sa région».

2 According to 2002 federal statistics, the canton had 476’100 inhabitants 3 idem note 1

al negotiations throughout the 20th century, espe-cially during the Cold War, thanks also to Swiss neu-trality.

Geography catches up with Geneva

Over the last twenty years, much of the city’s expan-sion has taken place beyond the borders of the can-ton and, as a result of its widespread growth, theneighbouring areas of France and the canton ofVaud have experienced a population explosion. Alarge number of municipalities now form part of theconurbation, and transport and pollution problemshave become more pressing. The border problemcreates tensions in terms of taxation, land tenureand trade. The labour market is unbalanced becauseof disparities in salaries between Switzerland and itsneighbour, France.Over the same period, with the fall of the BerlinWall, Geneva lost its exclusive advantages. Duringthe last decade, the city for the first time becameaware of its fragility. It is now obliged to competeon an equal footing with other European and inter-national cities.In these circumstances, territory has become an is-sue. Vital resources in the city’s development, space

and labour are fundamental concerns. Today, forthe first time in its history, the city has to come toterms with its geographical situation and bound-aries by managing a vast cross-border conurbationof almost 800’000 inhabitants.

An institutional Tower of Babel4

The need for cross-border co-operation is obviousto everyone. However, it is hampered by immensedifficulties, in particular incompatible institutionaland decision-making systems, which are totally dif-ferent in the case of Switzerland and France, andcorrespond to only a very limited extent in the caseof the canton of Vaud and Geneva itself. This explains why co-operation within the built-uparea has developed only very gradually and has en-countered many obstacles. There has neverthelessbeen progress over the years : first, a co-operativeeffort to protect the waters of Lake Geneva (1962,renewed in 1973), then an agreement whereby thecanton of Geneva returns tax revenues to the neigh-bouring French municipalities, since French cross-border workers pay tax in Switzerland. These initialacts of co-operation led in 1974 to the establish-ment of a partnership involving Swiss and Frenchinstitutions in the Comité régional franco-genevois(CRFG)5 Franco-Genevan regional committee. Thiscommittee, working under the auspices of the SwissConfederation and the French Government, exam-ines issues affecting the cross-border conurbationwhich are wider in scope than straightforward ur-ban development. In 1993, the CRFG published aFranco-Genevan white paper on cross-border issuesthen, in 1996, a charter for the conurbation. A char-ter for the development of regional public transportinvolving the local authorities and Swiss and Frenchoperators is also in preparation.We are currently working on a project for the conur-bation with the aim of making the cross-border is-sue a matter of fundamental importance – this is es-sential to solving the problems associated withnational and cantonal borders.

22

4 Genève s’arrime aux Alpes pour rester au sommet [Geneva lashes itself to the Alps tostay at the top], Richard Quincerot, in the revue «Urbanisme», no 278/279 Nov/Dec1994

5 cf. www.genève.ch/crfg

Benedetto Antonini, consultant to the Cantonal Department of Spatial Planning,

canton of Ticino

Cross-border territorial planning:the case of southern Switzerlandand the Lombardy region of Italy

Switzerland is so small that, to flourish, it fre-quently has to involve other countries. This is es-pecially true in the economic sphere, the trans-port sector and even the armed forces for someexercises. Nevertheless, for many years the Swissgovernment did not have a real foreign policy ; ajealously guarded policy of neutrality prevailed.Where territorial planning is concerned, we havealso been very slow in opening up to cross-borderrealities, so much so that even today it is legiti-mate to ask if such planning exists and if it is pos-sible. We have to admit that cross-border spatialplanning, in the conventional sense, does notexist. However, in Switzerland, we do have the be-ginnings of a vision for a policy of territorial or-ganisation which goes beyond national bound-aries in the shape of 1996 Swiss Planning PolicyGuidelines. This document makes it clear that thenetwork connecting Swiss towns extends beyondnational boundaries and links up – in theory andin practice – with the main centres of the borderzones of neighbouring countries. Timid though itmay be, this reflects a change of mentality.As for back as 1979, the federal law on spatialplanning established the exchange of informationbetween adjacent regions, including adjacent re-gions of neighbouring countries, as a prerequisitefor the co-ordinating cantonal development plans(see Art. 7 of the Act). However, this also indicatesthe extent to which cross-border planning policyis left to the initiative of the cantons. As a result, inter-regional cross-border organisa-tions were gradually set up : first the RegioBasilensis, followed by the Geneva /Rhône-Alpesregion, the territories surrounding Lake Con-stance, and so on.In 1994, the Regio Insubrica was eventuallyfounded. This region lies to the south of the Alps,grouping the canton of Ticino with the Italianprovinces of Como and Varese, in the Lombardyregion, and with the province of Verbania-Cusio-Ossola, which is part of Piedmont. Otherprovinces have since joined, with observer status.The formal bases for cross-border planning havetherefore also been laid on the southern front,though for the time being the results are moretheoretical than practical. This is not to underestimate the moral and politi-cal value of organisations which exist to discuss


The Regio Insubrica in the Italo-Swiss regional context

common problems and, by comparing situations,which from an institutional point of view are of-ten very different, look to ways to solve them. Ithas to be admitted, however, that the obstaclesarising from different territorial circumstances arestill as difficult to overcome as they are anachro-nistic.Despite the difficulties inherent in spatial plan-ning and cross-border co-operation as a global ac-tivity, we can point to successes at the sectorallevel, above all in transport policy, which has in-evitably had a cross-border dimension right fromthe start. The necessity of co-operation in this sphere is trueof roads, has become so for the railways – despitethe obstacles put in the way by the birth of na-tions and, worse, by nationalism – and has sincebeen confirmed by the advent of motorways. Thepolicy of modernising Europe’s traffic infrastruc-ture networks ensure that it is a burning issue atthe present time. In addition, navigation on lakes which cross fron-tiers – in Switzerland’s case Lakes Lugano andMaggiore – has also been regulated international-ly for many years.Aviation policy also merits special mention, not

only because the air space of concern to Swiss air-ports extends far into foreign territory, but alsobecause some airport facilities, such as those ofBasel/Mulhouse, are actually on foreign soil. Twoinfrastructures are of special interest to the RegioInsubrica and to the Ticino in general: the region-al airport of Lugano-Agno, for medium-distanceand connecting flights to hub airports, and the in-ternational airport of Malpensa, which is only anhour’s journey from Lugano.Another field in which cross-border co-operationis essential is that of water resource regulationand flood protection. In the case of Lake Mag-giore, the problems are far from being solved ow-ing to the diametrically opposed views of the lake-side authorities and those of the Po Valley.This list is by no means exhaustive. Other fields ofactivity which do not have a direct bearing onphysical territory, but are nonetheless importantfor the way it is organised, such as hospital policyor further education, deserve consideration butare beyond the scope of this article.A more concrete example is a railway project,small in terms of investment (approx. CHF 400million), but very significant if we consider its pos-itive territorial consequences, the planned newrail link between Lugano, Mendrisio, Varese andMalpensa Airport. This is an integral part of ahigh-added-value regional railway transport net-work planned jointly by the canton of Ticino andthe Lombardy regional government. The construc-tion of a new stretch of track just 7 km longwould make it possible to connect :– the built-up areas of Lugano with those of

Varese and Como, via Mendrisio ;– Lower Ticino and part of Varese Province with

western Switzerland, cutting an hour from thepresent journey time of four and a half hours ;

– the economic hub of Ticino, the city of Lugano,with Malpensa Airport, in less than one hour.

So far, the four partners promoting the project –the canton of Ticino, the Lombardy region, SwissFederal Railways and the Italian rail operator Reteferroviaria italiana – have been able to proceed ona basis of equality and consensus, quickly achiev-ing excellent results. If, despite present financialconstraints, it is possible to make this project apriority for the Swiss and Italian governments, thenew line could be inaugurated in 2009.

24

Diagram of the new Ticino-Lombardy regional express railway network, TILO

Not only will this project have functional advan-tages; we hope it will also have symbolic value,opening the way for many other much-neededprojects.


Hans-Georg Bächtold, cantonal planner and Head of the Planning Department,

canton of Basel-Landschaft

From divided city to transnational conurbation

Cross-border spatial planning in the trinational agglomeration of Basel

Intelligent use of common space

In recent years spatial development has grown inimportance in Europe. The process of European inte-gration increasingly necessitates a consideration notonly of economic framework and transport systems,but also of the planning situation. Intelligent physi-cal planning policies are essential in meeting the ris-ing and varied demands placed by society on ourlimited spatial resources and the requirement for arational use of land. Cross-border collaboration indeveloping spatial strategies offers tremendous op-portunities for transnational regions, not least thetrinational agglomeration of Basel.

Long tradition of collaboration

Of all European cities, Basel enjoys the most distinc-tive border location. National and cantonal bound-aries dissect the immediate conurbation, with itspopulation of some 600’000. The urban fabricstretches unbroken across the Swiss-French andSwiss-German borders. The various boundaries se-verely obstruct both personal and economic mobili-ty. The division of the conurbation into sectors, lo-cated on the fringes of their respective countries,compounded by the multiplicity of governmentallevels, bodies and institutions, has hampered at-tempts at a concerted development. A pooling of ef-forts in finding joint solutions, the co-ordination ofschemes and the linking of infrastructure networksthus seems the obvious way forward. Collaborationof this kind has existed in the Basel area for 40 yearsunder the banner of the «Regio Basiliensis», Eu-rope’s oldest cross-border institution. Expansion ofthe Basel conurbation beyond the French and Ger-man borders has intensified the need for cross-bor-der planning. Yet despite the long tradition of co-operation, there have to date been no jointly agreedgoals and objectives for the overall development ofthe region.

Trilateral future

A meeting on 8th December 1995 – symbolically heldon a ship anchored near the point where the threeboundary lines converge – brought together busi-

26

1 The Trinational Agglomeration Basel (TAB) comprises 53 participating municipalities(CH: 30, D: 13, F : 10) within the immediate region, covering an area of 558 km2 (CH:40%, D: 42%, F: 18%). The population densities likewise vary between the differentcountries (CH: 1’800 inhabitants/km2, D: 579 inhabitants/km2, F : 450 inhabitants/km2)

ness, political and planning representatives from theborder municipalities and regions in southern Baden(Germany), southern Alsace (France) and north-western Switzerland to discuss the vision of a trilat-eral future and closer cross-border collaboration. Atechnical co-ordination group, comprising 15 plan-ners from the relevant authorities in the three bor-der regions, was then set up to lay the foundationsfor a joint transnational development concept in therechristened «Trinational Agglomeration Basel»(TAB)1. The first phase, completed by the end of2001, produced two important results.A planning document, which may be termed a«transnational development plan», with compre-hensive policy statements on urban development,the transport network and landscape planning. Individual descriptions for some 30 «key projects»of significance to the development of the entire TAB,including urban development poles, transport andlandscape/environmental schemes.

Realizing the vision

In the past, the readiness and will of the involvedpoliticians had been the main driving force behind

the preparation of the joint transnational develop-ment concept. Apart from an agreement concludedin 1995 on participation in the Interreg II EU initia-tive, no contractual basis existed. To formalize thecollaboration effort, the partners met in St. Louis on28 January 2002 to set up the «Association for theSustainable Development of the Trinational Agglom-eration Basel» (Verein zur nachhaltigen Entwicklungdes Raumes der Triationalen Agglomeration Basel).The executive committee of the association is re-sponsible for both project management and the ap-pointment of a technical co-ordination group, com-prising six representatives from each country.Operational management is the responsibility of anagglomeration planning office with two expertsbased on the Palmrain bridge. The budgeted expen-diture of over EUR 2 million for 2002–2006 is borneby Germany and France (16.7 percent each), the Eu-ropean Union and Switzerland (33.3 percent each).By setting out the overall strategic considerationsfor co-ordination in the fields of urban, transportand landscape planning, the finished TAB develop-ment concept represents a further step in the im-provement of cross-border collaboration. This gen-eral development concept will now be refined as


Weil am Rhein

Haltingen

Huningue

Saint-LouisEuroAirport

AllschwilHégenheim

Lörrach

Rümmingen

BinzenEimeldingenMärkt

Village-Neuf

RosenauBartenheim

Blotzheim

Buschwiller

Hésingue

Kembs

Efringen--Kirchen

Haagen

Hauingen

Brombach

Basel

RiehenBettingen

Grenzach-Wyhlen

PrattelnOberwil

BottmingenBinningen

Münchenstein

Muttenz

Birsfelden

Therwil

Ettingen

Witterswil

Biel-Benken Reinach Arlesheim

Dornach

Aesch

Pfeffingen

Liestal

Giebenach

Frenkendorf Füllinsdorf

Inzlingen

Augst

Herten

Degerfelden Rheinfelden

Karsau

Rheinfelden

Möhlin

Schwörstadt

Concept of the regional development

Adauhr – 3. September 2001

part of the forthcoming third stage of the pan-Euro-pean INTERREG programme and feasibility studiesperformed to establish the technical and financial vi-ability of selected key projects. The three main pro-jects :1. Cross-border tram extension to St. Louis

(France) and Lörrach (Germany)2. Development of Basel’s northern axis (Lörrach-

Rhine – St. Louis-EuroAirport)3. Joint development of Swiss and German Rhein-

felden

Future challenges

The TAB is shaped in large measure by its innerboundaries, which pose obstacles to both businessand the population. Cross-border relations are con-sequently gaining in importance and need to bestrengthened further still. The finished TAB develop-ment concept sets out the overall strategic consider-ations for co-ordination in the fields of urban, trans-port and landscape planning. It is now important toassess the feasibility of the key projects and to pressahead with their implementation. Still to be drawnup are a joint strategy for the conurbation’s longer-term urban and spatial development and a defini-tion of the functions of Basel, as the core city, and ofits neighbouring sub-regions. This will be the keychallenge for the future.

28

Dr. Christian Gabathuler, cantonal plannerOffice of Spatial Planning and Surveying

of the canton of Zurich

Controlling residential andtransport development in

fast-growing urban landscapes

1. Zurich economic area

Though accounting for a mere 4 percent of Switzer-land’s geographical area, the canton of Zurich ac-commodates some 17 percent of the Swiss popula-tion and 20 percent of the country’s workforce. Agood 22 percent of the Swiss national income isearned in the region. The canton of Zurich forms thecore of what, even by European standards, is a primeeconomic area, boasting a population of around1.8 million and a 1 million-strong workforce and em-bracing large parts of the neighbouring cantons.The ever-closer links forged between different partsof the economic area have heightened the impor-tance of collaboration with neighbouring cantons.Many planning-related issues, particularly in termsof transport and major infrastructure, thus necessi-tate close intercantonal co-operation.

2. Formulating a cantonal structural plan

The structural plan is the instrument used by thecanton of Zurich to co-ordinate planning-related ac-tivities and to outline general spatial developmentpolicies for its territory. It defines «inward» develop-ment, i.e. the use of existing reserves in built-up ar-eas, as the focus of urban planning. Planning mustalso be geared to public transport provision, in par-ticular the suburban railway system. The underlyingaim is to conserve the open countryside as a unified,undeveloped natural space (www.richtplan.zh.ch).All amendments to the structural plan must be ap-proved by the cantonal parliament. Hence, the challenge facing spatial planning policyis to ensure that the rise in demand for residentialand commercial premises (which is likely to contin-ue) does not spawn still more edge-of-town green-field schemes, but is increasingly met by the devel-opment and regeneration of existing urban districtsalready served by infrastructure. Furthermore, thecorresponding growth in mobility needs can only beaccommodated by focusing on the developement ofsuburban railway network.

3. Potential for sustainable spatialdevelopment

A radically improved rail service, launched in 1990under the banner «Zürcher S-Bahn», soon recorded


a sharp increase in users. The volume of passengerssurged by a remarkable 19 percent in the very firstyear, with a further 38 percent rise achieved over thenext decade. The integrated public transport net-work, embracing railway, tram and bus, now servespractically all urban areas in the canton of Zurich.Some 95 percent of inhabitants and employees liveor work within easy reach of a stop or station some-where on the network.The current stock of residential and commercialpremises totals some 108 million m2 in gross floorarea (GFA). The development zones specified in thestatutory plans can accommodate the additionalconstruction of some 100 million m2 GFA – the re-serves still available in the developed planning zoneswithin built-up areas accounting for around two-thirds of this figure and greenfield sites at peripher-al locations for the other third. 43 percent of the identified reserves are situatedwithin the immediate catchment area of a suburbanrailway station and therefore enjoy excellent publictransport links. Hence, overall, the canton of Zurichhas adequate, well-located reserves for the neces-sary renewal and development of its property stock.

4. Enhanced co-ordination required in high-density areas

The floor space reserves identified in the canton ofZurich are largely concentrated on four high-densityareas. These are the historic, organically structuredcities of Zurich and Winterthur and the more recenturban landscapes of the Glattal and Limmattal. Eachof these areas already has a well-developed infra-structure.However, the high planning density and spatialconstraints increase the risk of conflicts (e.g.through noise) and bottlenecks in the road system.Moreover, the rapid pace of development placesparticular demands on urban and transport plan-ning control. To address the greater need for co-or-dination in high-density areas, the structural planfor Zurich will be supplemented by provisions forthe drafting of tailored regional transmodal trans-port concepts.In the case of the Glattal urban corridor, work com-menced at an early stage and has already bornefruit. Of particular note is the Glattal suburban rail-way scheme, funding for which was successfully se-

cured by a referendum. Construction of the firstphase is scheduled to begin in September 2004(www.vbg.ch/glattalbahn).

5. Growing traffic bottlenecks in Limmattal

The Limmattal urban region has the distinction ofspanning a cantonal boundary and is thus dividedbetween the cantons of Zurich and Aargau. Initiat-ed several years ago, the Aargau – Zurich platformsets out to meet the additional collaborative re-quirement at institutional level (www.paz.ch). Theco-ordination platform has already been instrumen-tal in the launch of various joint schemes to tacklecross-border problems.With the A1 motorway and four-track railway sec-tion, Switzerland’s main east-west links run throughthe Limmattal. Yet, despite substantial improve-ments, both are increasingly prone to bottlenecks.Various large shopping centres and newly built su-perstores are responsible for additional congestionon access roads in the evenings and on Saturdays.Improvements to the regional road network offerno remedy as the primary motorway routes crossingthe area already reach maximum capacity at rushhour and are unable to accommodate any extratraffic. In fact, it is more than likely in future thattailbacks from motorway slip roads will extend backinto urban districts. This would significantly detract from the living qual-ity of the local residents and employees, while thelack of infrastructure capacity would prevent ex-ploitation of the existing development reserves. Thesearch for alternative, uncongested sites would has-ten the process of urban sprawl – with all its nega-tive implications, such as the development of pre-cious greenfield land and additional motor trafficowing to the inferior public transport links to pe-ripheral locations.

6. Regional transmodal transport concept for Limmattal

Improved management of regional transport andurban planning, coupled with a significant rise inpublic transport passenger volumes, offers a solu-tion to this dilemma. The aim is to create an urbanenvironment offering high amenity and a propor-tional use of public transport on a par with that cur-

30

rently achieved in the cities of Zurich and Win-terthur.One centrepiece of the transport initiative is theplanned Limmattal suburban railway line. Its routingis such as to allow large sections of the new popula-tion and workforce to profit from the improvedservice. Some 37’000 residents and 27’000 employ-ees are currently located within 400 m of the futurestations. The projected development of the existingreserves will push these figures up to around 48’000and 50’000 respectively.The Limmattal regional transmodal transport con-cept also provides for improvements to the bus sys-tem, alterations and refinements to the road net-work and works benefiting cyclists and pedestrians.Of paramount importance in achieving objectiveswill be the operational measures to optimize multi-modal traffic flows, including road capacity man-agement and giving buses the right of way on con-gested stretches of road. Future urban planningpolicies will also be adjusted in line with the findingson key issues.Regional mobility management, including the devel-opment of new mobility products and services, willalso feature prominently. Mobility management willno longer focus exclusively on traffic control, but oncatering for a maximum of mobility demands whileminimizing traffic volumes.


Political and administrative collaboration within theAlpine Space at national and regional level datesback several decades. Partnerships and networkssuch as the ARGE ALP, ARGE Alpenstädte and RE-GIONALP along with the implementation of theAlpine Convention in 1995 have deepened the per-ception of the Alpine Space as an integral geograph-ical area. The Alpine Space programme follows on directly fromthe joint INTERREG II C initiative, launched in 1996,which seeks to promote cross-border collaborationwithin the European Union in the field of spatial de-velopment. Switzerland was invited to participate inschemes in the Western Mediterranean and Latin Alpsregions. This programme is complemented by variouspilot projects launched by the EU and financed underArt. 10 of the ERDF (European Regional DevelopmentFund) regulations. Switzerland has taken part in a pi-lot scheme centred on the eastern Alps.

Interest at cantonal level

2000 saw the launch of the INTERREG III B pro-gramme. Geared to transnational collaboration, IN-TERREG III B chiefly focuses on spatial planning andspatial development issues within the various re-gions of Europe. As equal partners of the Confeder-ation, the cantons are eager to capitalize on the Eu-ropean Interreg initiative. INTERREG III B offers thema platform to contribute their own ideas and plansfor the refinement and implementation of the Euro-pean Spatial Development Concept (ESDP). They arealso able to liaise directly with the planning agenciesin the programme regions, i.e. beyond the immedi-ate border area.The INTERREG III B programmes are something of adeparture, particularly for the cantons, with the on-ly truly relevant experience stemming from the RE-GIONALP project. The stance adopted by the can-tons is, accordingly, both critical and open-minded.INTERREG III B may thus be viewed as a learningprocess for all involved.

The focal issues include:

Drafting of spatial development strategies entailingcollaboration between urban centres and betweentown and country with the aim of promoting sus-tainable polycentric development.

Cla Semadeni, Head of Office for Spatial Planning,

canton of Grison

INTERREG III B – Alpine Space:

Participation of Swiss cantons in transnational spatialdevelopment schemes

32

Development of efficient, environmentally compati-ble transport systems and improvement of access tothe information societyPromotion of environmental protection, sustain-able management of the natural and cultural her-itage, and conservation of natural resources (partic-ularly water) with due consideration to naturalhazards

Programme implementation in Switzerland

The schemes selected to date and newly submittedproject proposals testify to the widespread readi-ness to address proactively the specified priority is-sues and objectives of spatial development in theAlpine Space and to profit from the added value it ishoped will be achieved – funds permitting – throughthe transnational collaboration with EU partners. Switzerland’s involvement extends across all the keythematic issues and project areas, as witnessed bythe following selection of ongoing projects in theAlpine Space.ALPENERGYWOOD: The aim of the project is to mapout a «wood energy route» that identifies best-prac-tice plants for interested visitors and encouragesknow-how exchange in the field of wood energy

technology and use. Lead partner : European WoodEnergy Technical Institute, France.ALPINE WINDHARVEST: The project sets out to inves-tigate the potential offered by wind turbines in theAlpine Space. Lead partner : University of Salzburg,Austria.ALPS MOBILITY: The scheme focuses on the develop-ment of car-free mobility concepts at selectedtourist resorts united under the banner «AlpinePearls». Lead partner : Federal Ministry of Agricul-ture, Forestry, Environment and Water Manage-ment, Vienna, Austria.DYNALP: The project serves the implementation ofthe Alpine Convention. Some 50 municipalities areimplementing schemes for tourism, environmentalprotection and landscape management, mountainfarming, sustainable development and spatial plan-ning. The pilot projects are set to trigger invest-ments in the order of at least EUR 20 million. Leadpartner : Municipality of Mäder, Austria.QUALIMA : The project sets out to tackle the in-creasing marginalization of specific Alpine regionsand the attendant deterioration in trade and socialservices observed at these locations. It is hopedthat co-ordinated regional concepts will strength-en the existing structures for public and private


service provision. Lead partner : Regione Veneto,Italy.TUSEC-IP : The project specifically addresses the is-sue of soil and land as limited resources in theAlpine Space. The goal is to develop harmonizedtools for the improved management of urban soilsin planning procedures. Lead partner : City of Mu-nich, Germany.

Conclusions

With their cross-border collaboration on spatial de-velopment issues, the Swiss cantons are enteringuncharted waters. INTERREG III B will thus be seen asa learning process set to open up interesting per-spectives. Palpable results readily accessible to awider audience will soon be available.

ww

w.r

epro

plan

.ch

geneva th 40 world congress - are.admin.ch€¦ · this publication has been occasioned by the 40th...

Documents