Foresighted urban planning

Abstract

Lithuania is urbanized country, about 70 % of poluation lives in urban areas. Curent urbanization is organized  by the new territorial planning law, which came into force in 1995. New system was applied on the developing market and democracy conditions, why it is not fully developed till nowadays. New urban planning and management system are rapidly changing the spatial patterns of Lithuania. How much those changes are foresighted in transformation process towards sustainable development? What actions are needed and whom participation is necessary to avoid the influence of current trends?

The analyses of demographic trends and the Master plans of Lithuanian metropolitan cities and suburban municipalities shows unconformity to the existing social and economical trends. While the population is decreasing the huge need of land for new developmet had been planned. The spread of urban structures to the rural areas had raised the need and price of infrastructure and public services, it induced inhabitants dependence from own cars, enhanced environment pollution and consumption of energy resources. Current EU policy documents and the expert organizations the suburbanization are describing as „urban sprawl"which does not meet the principles of sustainable development [1,2,3,6]. Urban sprawl is a matter of concern in Europe, but only few cities (notably in Northern Europe) are coping well. The sprawl in cities of Eastern Europe iliustrate the developmet of "free for all" of 1990 and impact of transition from socialist to free-market economy with its effect on local economies, social patterns and planning system. [4]. The growth of suburbanization, when the local economy and population decline, in Lithuania had occurred not long ago, urban dictionaries do not include the precise equivalent for the term above. Local specialists call it as "urban chaos" or "spread of compact urban structures", etc. [5].

The contributors think the guide for the foresighted urban planning and sustainable development can serve the EU policy documents, exper'ts reccommendations. It is useful to listen famous urban thinkers, as Jane Jacobs (1916 - 2006) in her last book "Dark age ahead" warned of the professional and educational organizations based on content and thinking rather than licensing and mannerism. In Lithuania this is achieve is possible through the National urban forum, which for the moment is the strong public think tank in Lithuania. They suggesting that planning and management of cities shall be based on more realistic social, economic forecasts and sustainable, coordinated urban & rural developmet polisy, supported by legal, financial measures. It could alloved to manage and use effectively the inner territories of cities, existing public infrastructure and to stop the urban sorawl and growth of energy consumption, use of own cars and environmet polution.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.erem.59.1.679