The role of land use planning in sustainable rural systems

The creation of a more sustainable countryside has become a very important item across the world. Several methods, approaches and policies can be applied and agencies, interests groups etc. can become active in this regard. Land-use planning, as one of these activities, is challenged to play an active role in obtaining sustainable rural systems. The paper focuses first on what land-use planning is and what the different steps are or can be in the process of planning the future uses of land. Secondly, it demonstrates the approach through so-called spatial concepts. Three examples are explored: the segregation vs, the integration concept; the concept of the framework planning; and finally, the concept of ecological networks or infrastructure. Finally, the way in which these spatial concepts are or can be applied, is discussed. included are some critical remarks with regard to the application of spatial concepts in land-use planning, together with the introduction of a new phenomenon in land development policies: that of the rural renewing. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.