Territorial foresight and spatial planning system in Greece

Abstract

Spatial planning is called upon to regulate the spatial projection of complex and dynamic social, economic and environmental issues, with spatial impacts and dependencies. It seeks to create a framework of sustainability and resilience for the space, in an environment of increasing instability and risk, trying to shape the desired future and less influencing the future that is likely to be shaped. However, an alternative approach to spatial planning is progressively emerging internationally, that of Territorial Foresight, which is a more complex concept for the spatial treatment of all kinds of issues that are likely to arise in the long-term future. This approach consists of a structured set of participatory visioning and strategic planning actions that enable spatial planners to consider and shape the medium and long-term future of regions or cities. It follows dynamic and flexible processes and approaches, creative, participatory and democratic, that put citizens at the center of spatial development and are based on the principle of unpredictable change. Increasingly, it is being proposed to incorporate Foresight into urban planning.

The process of drawing up the Spatial Plans in Greece, and especially the urban plans, includes elements that could be combined with the Prospective Investigation and make use of its processes and findings. But for planning to be able to successfully incorporate such features into its implementation processes, there should be inputs from Foresight studies concerning planning of higher spatial level and sectoral approaches.