Evert Meijers SUSTAINABLE URBANAREAS 13 Complementarity, organising capacity and critical ...

196 Pages·2007·3.37 MB·English

S U S[ T ]A I N A B L E
U R B A N A R E A S
13
Synergy
in Polycentric
Urban Regions
Complementarity,
organising capacity
and critical mass
Evert Meijers
Delft Centre for Sustainable Urban Areas

Synergy in Polycentric Urban Regions
Complementarity, organising
capacity and critical mass
Evert Meijers
The series Sustainable Urban Areas
is published by IOS Press under the imprint Delft University Press
IOS Press BV
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The Netherlands
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E-mail: [email protected]
Sustainable Urban Areas is edited by
Delft Centre for Sustainable Urban Areas
C/o OTB Research Institute for Housing, Urban and Mobility Studies
Delft University of Technology
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The Netherlands
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Synergy in
Polycentric Urban Regions
Complementarity, organising
capacity and critical mass
PROEFSCHRIFT
ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor
aan de Technische Universiteit Delft,
op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. dr. ir. J.T. Fokkema,
voorzitter van het College voor Promoties,
in het openbaar te verdedigen op dinsdag 13 maart 2007 om 10.00 uur
door
Evert Jan MEIJERS
Doctorandus in de planologie
geboren te Veere
Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotor:
Prof. dr. ir. H. Priemus
Samenstelling promotiecommissie:
Rector Magnificus, voorzitter
Prof. dr. ir. H. Priemus, Technische Universiteit Delft, promotor
Prof. dr. P.J. Boelhouwer, Technische Universiteit Delft
Prof. dr. R.C. Kloosterman, Universiteit van Amsterdam
Prof. dr. F. van Oort, Universiteit Utrecht
Prof. dr. W.G.M. Salet, Universiteit van Amsterdam
Dr. ir. M. Spaans, Technische Universiteit Delft
Dr. W.A.M. Zonneveld, Technische Universiteit Delft
Prof. dr. W.K. Korthals Altes, Technische Universiteit Delft, reservelid
Synergy in Polycentric Urban Regions:
Complementarity, organising capacity and critical mass
Evert Jan Meijers
Thesis Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands
The author wishes to acknowledge the financial assistance of the Dutch
government through the Habiforum Program Innovative Land Use and Delft
University of Technology through the Delft Centre for Sustainable Urban Areas.
Design: Cyril Strijdonk Ontwerpburo, Gaanderen
DTP: Yvonne Alkemade, Delft
Cover photo: Victor Abellón
Printed in the Netherlands by: Haveka, Alblasserdam
ISSN 1574-6410; 13
ISBN 978-1-58603-724-6
NUGI 755
Subject headings: polycentricity, interurban relationships, urban networks,
complementarity, organising capacity, critical mass
Legal notice: the publisher is not responsible for the use which might be
made of the following information.
© Copyright 2007 by Evert Jan Meijers
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by print, photoprint, micro-
film or any other means, without written permission from the copyrightholder.
This is my Truth, Tell me Yours
Manic Street Preachers, 1998

Contents
Preface ..................................................................1
1 Introduction............................................................3
1.1 Cities and networks .....................................................3
1.2 Polycentric urban regions ..............................................3
1.3 Polycentric urban regions on the policy agenda .................5
1.4 Intercity relationships in theory .....................................8
1.5 Research aims and questions ....................................... 10
1.6 Outline of the thesis .................................................. 11
2 Polycentric urban regions and the quest for synergy:
Is a network of cities more than the sum of the parts? .............23
2.1 Introduction ............................................................. 24
2.2 Synergy in networks .................................................. 25
2.3 Synergy in polycentric urban regions ............................. 27
2.4 The Randstad: Is it more than the sum of the parts? ......... 31
2.5 Co-operation or horizontal synergy in the Randstad ......... 32
2.6 Complementarity or vertical synergy in the Randstad ....... 35
2.7 Conclusions ............................................................. 40
3 Clones or complements?
The division of labour between the main cities of the Randstad,
the Flemish Diamond and the RheinRuhr Area ......................47
3.1 Introduction ............................................................. 48
3.2 Complementary relationships ...................................... 50
3.3 The analysis of complementarity .................................. 52
3.4 The division of labour in the Randstad, the Flemish
Diamond and the RheinRuhr Area ................................. 56
3.5 Conclusion ............................................................... 63
4 From central place to network model:
Theory and evidence of a paradigm-change .........................69
4.1 Intercity relationships: from hierarchy to network? .......... 70
4.2 A network model of spatial organisation ........................ 71
4.3 Research approach .................................................... 74
4.4 Hogescholen ............................................................ 76
4.5 Hospitals ................................................................. 81
4.6 Conclusion ............................................................... 85
5 Realising potential:
Building regional organising capacity in polycentric urban
regions ..................................................................91
5.1 Polycentricity and regional development ........................ 92
5.2 The polycentric urban region in spatial planning policy ..... 94
5.3 Potentialities of a regional approach in polycentric
urban regions ........................................................... 98
5.4 Limited regional organising capacity in polycentric
urban regions ..........................................................100
5.5 Context-bound constraints to the building of regional
organising capacity ...................................................101
5.6 Conclusions ............................................................106
6 Summing small cities does not make a metropolis:
Polycentric urban regions and the provision of cultural, leisure
and sports amenities ................................................113
6.1 Introduction ............................................................114
6.2 Regional externalities in PURs .....................................115
6.3 Research design .......................................................117
6.4 Analysis: linking the shape of the regional urban system
with the presence of urban amenities ...........................126
6.5 Conclusion ..............................................................128
7 Synthesis ............................................................135
7.1 Introduction ............................................................135
7.2 Summary of results ..................................................136
7.3 Reflections ..............................................................147
7.4 Implications for regional development strategies in PURs ...152
7.5 Directions for further research ....................................156
7.6 Final remarks ..........................................................158
Appendix A Interviewees ........................................................162
Samenvatting
Synergie in polycentrische stedelijke regio’s: complementariteit,
organiserend vermogen en kritische massa ........................163
Curriculum Vitae ...................................................181