Measuring fragmentation of open space in urbanised Flanders: an evaluation of four methods

The open space in Flanders, the northern part of Belgium, can hardly be seen as really open. From the Middle Ages onward this area has been known for its spread out development pattern, which has even strengthened in recent decades. Especially the residential ribbon development and the omnipresent infrastructure are widely recognised. These developments have led to an intense fragmentation of open space. In this paper we present two new methods to analyse and quantify this fragmentation of open space from a spatial planning perspective, and compare them with two existing methods. This comparative analysis evaluates the differentmethods and connects them to different definitions of fragmentation. The average patch size method is more appropriate to describe general fragmentation if the focus is on major line infrastructures, whereas the density of fragmenting structures method matches with the interpretation of fragmentation as spatial heterogeneity. The two described methods to detect enclosed open space fragments as signs of fragmentation give different results depending on the data and methods used. The ribbon method however is more appropriate to detect open space fragments under threat of privatisation, since it works with a stricter definition of continuous ribbon development. All four methods are relevant for Flemish spatial planning policy, as they indicate where actions are needed to safeguard open space from further urbanisation tendencies. Furthermore, they can support a differentiated spatial policy and add to the scientific basis of the debate on alternative interpretations of Flemish open space

Residents and flood risk management in Flanders: two worlds apart?

Although flood risk is usually framed as a physical problem, there is also an important socio-spatial side to the issue. Potential damages are influenced by a large number of individual decisions such as location choice or private flood protection measures. Flood risk management is shifting towards including these elements through responsibilization of spatial planners and civil society. However, since flood risk management in Western Europe is strongly government-led and solutions were usually confined within the boundaries of the water system itself, there is little knowledge on how to do this. Therefore, this paper looks into the point of view of residents in flood-prone areas, based on a survey (n=183) in the Dender basin (Flanders, Belgium). The paper first discusses five themes: the residents’ knowledge, risk perception, location choice, sense of responsibility, and protective behavior and seeds of self-initiative. The survey shows that residents are very much attached to their homes, but at the same time take little action. Remarkable is that even though Flanders has a relatively weak tradition in spatial planning, residents place responsibility for living in flood-prone areas on the government, and therefore they feel entitled to public protection

Flood resilience: a co-evolutionary approach : residents, spatial developments and flood risk management in the Dender Basin

What is flood resilience? At first sight, flooding presents itself as a physical issue. This could lead one to think that solutions are to be found in the physical realm – from robust, large-scale solutions (such as dikes, weirs) to flexible, small-scale ones (such as floodgates, flood proofing, floating homes). The cover picture, however, shows that there is more to the story. While caravans could be considered physically resilient, as they can accommodate changing conditions, their efficiency depends on the social structures that support them – they simply need to be moved. Resilience is thus not merely about infrastructure. It is also about people, and how people use infrastructures. Flood resilience, therefore, is not only to be sought in the technical, but also in the social realm. Therefore, this dissertation has been an endeavor to understand the role of different actors in managing flood risks. It analyzes which actors directly and indirectly contribute to the spatial development of flood risks. It then looks at how these different actors relate to and interact with each other to produce flood resilience. As such, it develops a framework that provides a broad perspective on how flood risks develop through time and place and explores what the role of spatial planners could be in bringing these different parties together

Urban dynamics in the Flemish countryside: a comparative study on morphological patterns and local economy dynamics

The article examines two aspects of urbanisation in the rural areas of Flanders, the northern part of Belgium. On the one hand, the evolution of the built environment is studied in terms of built-up density and the corresponding morphological sprawl pattern, from the beginning of the 19th century up until now. On the other hand, the economy dynamics in the rural areas are investigated. This shift in economic activities can be seen as part of a broader urbanisation process, with aspects such as tertiarisation and broadening of agriculture. The main driving factors behind these transformations are discussed based on literature study. It becomes clear that urbanisation of the countryside is the combined result of economic, physical, cultural and political evolutions. The comparative study in eight case municipalities with different spatial characteristics maps the evolution of the built environment and continuity of the economic activities. Temporal and regional differences are analysed and related to more location-specific driving factors. The sprawl pattern seems to have a historical ground, whereas the difference in density is related to the evolution path. Regarding the local economy dynamics, no clear regional differences can be found. The professions and other business services category has the highest density. The amount of tertiary activities proves the importance of tertiarisation on the countryside. Both studied evolutions tend to change the open space profoundly. Therefore, insights are crucial in order to develop location specific policies