> Balancing urban redevelopment with urban expansion > Integrating transport, land use and infrastructure > Sustaining the vitality and viability of city and town centres > Enabling economic competitiveness > Promoting social inclusion > Assessing the environmental impact of development > Safeguarding natural and heritage resources > Achieving a carbon light future METROPOLITAN DIMENSION KEY METROPOLITAN ISSUES

> Such key issues can only be addressed effectively at the level of the Functional Urban Area (FUA) or Region or Metropolitan European Growth Area (MEGA) > These are the key building blocks for any European spatial perspective or strategy > They are recognised in the ESDP, by ESPON, by the CoR and in the Third Cohesion Report > They need to be made operational through effective metropolitan governance METROPOLITAN DIMENSION

> Subsidiarity in Europe will only become a reality if there is effective governance at the metropolitan level > Without effective metropolitan governance the populations of metropolitan areas are unable to influence some of the key issues affecting their future and its sustainability > Without effective metropolitan governance the EU will be without a key level of partnership to implement its wider strategies > An integrated approach to key metropolitan issues requires effective governance METROPOLITAN GOVERNANCE

> The mechanisms for governance may range from the statutory and comprehensive, through the selective, to the voluntary, depending on the range of key strategic issues that need to be addressed and their severity > Effective metropolitan governance and economic competitiveness and sustainability are interrelated METROPOLITAN GOVERNANCE

ELECTED METROPOLITAN AUTHORITY WITH CORE PLANNING, OPERATING AND MANAGING POWERS 22 Primary stakeholders in the Metropolitan strategic planning and development process [denotes privatised].

> Effective metropolitan governance requires the three key functions of competence, capability and process > Competence means having the authority to adopt, implement and safeguard an Integrated Metropolitan Strategy > Capability means having the knowledge and understanding to take informed decisions > Process means having the means to regularly monitor, review and update the strategy COMPETENCE, CAPABILITY AND PROCESS

An assessment process that can provide the basis for informed decision making on those aspects of the Metropolitan Spatial Plan that are market related, that is, industry and business, offices, retailing, housing and transportation. The diagram summarises an approach to balancing supply and demand for sectoral issues.

THE INTERRELATED ACTION INVOLVED IN THE PREPARATION OF AN INTEGRATED METROPOLITAN SPATIAL PLANNING STRATEGY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT ON A POLYCENTRIC BASIS

1Population mass and proximity/connectivity 2Identity 3Definition of Functional Urban Region/Area or Metropolitan European Growth Area (MEGA) 4Recognition 5Marketing 6Influence 7Support 8Governance 9Strategic issues and the longer term view 10Visions and strategies to engage stakeholders 11Competencies related to issues 12Capability for informed decision making on the issues 13Processes to implement strategies, policies, programmes and projects 14Processes to regularly roll forward a longer term view STEPS TO A METROPOLITAN EUROPE

> Recognised inner core (GIZ) and related outer core bridging areas linking to the periphery > Balance between the inner core and the Mediterranean and Danubian/Baltic transnational areas > Improved East/West, North/South and peripheral connectivity > Good connectivity from all areas to the core area > Good connectivity to European gateways > Recognition of Europe’s metropolitan regions and areas > In consequence, strong polycentric relationships within European inter regional areas and between them TERRITORIAL COHESION WHAT MIGHT BETTER URBAN BALANCE LOOK LIKE?

> InterMETREX seeks to enable them to become as individually strong as possible through effective spatial planning and development practice within metropolitan regions and areas > PolyMETREXplus seeks to enable them to become as collectively strong as possible though the development of effective polycentric relationships between metropolitan regions and areas > A polycentric Europe cannot be built without strong metropolitan regions and areas > InterMETREX enables PolyMETREXplus INTERMETREX AND POLYMETREXPLUS

> Facilitate metropolitan recognition and definition (data collection and comparative indicators) > Promote mechanisms for appropriate and effective metropolitan governance > Promote the production of key issue based Integrated Metropolitan Strategies (with stakeholder involvement) > Actively support the implementation of such Strategies through the Structural funds > Actively support the exchange of practitioner knowledge on metropolitan affairs METROPOLITAN