Anniversary of the state planning association: opportunities and challenges of regional development

Anniversary of the state planning association: opportunities and challenges of regional development

On March 20, 2025, the 100th anniversary of the Düsseldorf e.V. regional planning association was celebrated in the Düsseldorf regional council. The foundation in 1925 was to establish a coordinating and overarching planning for the control of urban and economic development across municipal borders. During the anniversary session, numerous guests of honor were present who highlighted the historical importance of regional planning. Dr. Bernd Schulte, State Secretary in the State Chancellery NRW, thanked the Regional Council for his commitment, which has produced solutions for various planning questions in over 100 meetings.

Regional planning in North Rhine-Westphalia has become more important in recent decades. District President Thomas Schürmann emphasized this meaning for local tasks. As part of the anniversary, the draft for the 3rd amendment to the state development plan and the 18th amendment to the Düsseldorf regional plan were presented. The latter aims at climate -friendly wind energy use and is intended to create planning security for future wind energy areas. Wind energy systems should be privileged in these areas.

challenges and opportunities for spatial planning

Professor Dr. Priebs, President of the Academy of Spatial Development, spoke about the challenges and opportunities that currently shape the spatial planning. Topics such as the protection of open spaces, securing living and economic areas as well as integrated infrastructure planning were discussed. District Administrator Hans-Jürgen Petrauschke emphasized the need for a predictive planning, which is sustainable and needs-based. The environmental report on the change of regional plan includes several thousand pages and highlights the role of the Düsseldorf district government, which sees the anniversary as an obligation to further develop regional planning.

The latest changes in Germany, due to climate adaptation, structural change and demographic developments, require new strategies in spatial planning. The federal government is therefore planning to strengthen the instruments for spatial planning and spatial development. In 2024, the Registrat program will be introduced, which aims to support strategic regional development concepts. This program promotes the creation of regional analyzes and the prioritization of development measures.

Regiostrat: A new chapter of spatial planning

The funding volume of the regiostrate program is 6 million euros and is aimed at all room types, including agglomeration rooms and metropolitan regions. The aim is to identify regional challenges and set specific development goals. Examples of subsidized regions are the district of Dithmarschen and the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan region, which deal with different structural challenges.

The urban development reports that are presented to the German Bundestag every four years complement the municipal planning. They are based on extensive research and analysis, are aimed at political decision -makers and document current challenges of cities. Topics such as sustainability, demographic changes and social inclusion are the focus of these reports and are therefore also important for regional planning.

Overall, the anniversary in the Regional Council Düsseldorf shows the need for continuously committed and cooperative planning between municipalities, business and society in order to meet the challenges of the future.