Planistic Situation in the Małopolskie Voivodeship

Abstract

Spatial planning is the major tool used in spatial development policies. Proactive policies facilitate the identification of spatial development trends, spatial development policies as well as implementation procedures. Spatial development policies adopted by municipalities in 1995 formed the basis for a comprehensive system of managing territorial government entities. The comprehensive approach taken by local governments to municipality management, coupled with cooperation with local communities, has lead to municipalities’ sustained growth and sustainable development. Spatial planning in Poland is regulated by the Act of 27 March 2003 on spatial planning and development. Pursuant to its provisions, the spatial planning system is implemented at the municipality, regional and national levels. Responsibility for spatial development is vested in the hands of municipalities. At that level, the legal framework for spatial planning and development is based on the analysis of spatial development conditions and trends as well as local spatial development plans.
The paper presents the efforts made by Małopolska’s local authorities in launching local spatial development programmes. The analysis covers 182 municipalities located within the region’s administrative boundaries. The paper refers to the statistical analyses published in the annual Report on the status and conditions of municipality planning processes, prepared by the Institute of Geography and Spatial Management of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN). The analysis of the status of spatial management in Małopolska’s municipalities is carried out for two years: 2004, when the Ministry of Infrastructure began collecting spatial development data at the municipality level, and 2011, the last year for which research was conducted.