Optimization of land use: Circular Flow Land Use Management (CircUse)

CircUse web site: http://www.circuse.eu
First newsletter: http://www.difu.de/sites/difu.de/files/CircUse_Flyer_June_2010.pdf

In many European cities and regions, urban sprawl as well as the negative effects of the demographic change and the structural transformation of the economy has induced problems. In most cases, these factors produce unsustainable land use patterns which are also uncompetitive. At the same time urban sprawl causes a high consumption of land and energy with negative effects on climate change.

To handle these problems the project “Circular Flow Land Use Management”, in brief: CircUse, was started in 2010. The project is implemented through the CENTRAL EUROPE Programme co-financed by the ERDF. 12 Partners and 3 associated institutions from 6 countries are working together in CircUse to face the mentioned problems and to develop strategies to solve them. Involved are partners from Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Italy, Austria and Germany. The German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) is responsible for the work package “communication and dissemination”. Its main tasks are, therefore, the comprehensive dissemination of relevant information as well as the external and internal communication.

The basis of the project is the concept of circular flow land use management, which, together with other instruments and the pilot projects, will demonstrate how land use could be optimized and the consumption of land reduced. The concept comprises, among others, for example an integrative strategy to influence the institutional framework with the aim to change the previous land use philosophy to a more modern sustainable one. The pilot projects are located in the following regions and pursue different goals:

• Middle Saxony (DE) – site specific concepts for renaturation, interim land use and mixed urban uses, land use characterisation,
• Voitsberg (AT) – reduction of land consumption and introduction of new land use; i.e. biomass plantations on former mining areas,
• Usti Region (CZ) – revitalization of urban brownfields,
• City of Trnava (SK) – redevelopment of land and the fringe areas between the city of Tvarna and adjacent rural communities, including revitalization of rural brownfields,
• City of Asti (IT) – scenario building and assessment for reusing brownfields located in the urban area,

• City of Piekary (PL) – greening of a former industrial area.

Difu will develop a training course for local and regional decision makers with a focus on circular flow land use management to make the concept known in the European Union. At the end of the project a compendium will be drawn up compiling with all project results. The CircUse project will end in February 2013.

Further information:
Maic Verbücheln: Phone (+49) 221/340308-12, E-Mail: verbuecheln@difu.de
Andrea Wagner: Phone (+49) 221/340308-19, E-Mail: wagner@difu.de
Thomas Preuß: Phone (+49) 30 39001-518, E-Mail: preuss@difu.de
CircUse web site: www.circuse.eu
First newsletter: http://www.difu.de/sites/difu.de/files/CircUse_Flyer_June_2010.pdf
German Institute of Urban Affairs (Difu) – Partner in Solving Municipal Problems
The German Institute of Urban Affairs is the largest urban research institute in the German-speaking area and is the research, further training and information institution for cities, municipalities, administrative districts, municipal associations and planning departments. Difu deals with all the topics which municipalities have to deal with now and in the future: whether in urban and regional development, municipal commerce, urban construction, social issues, environment, transport, culture, law, administrative subjects or municipal finances. The independent Berlin Institute, which was founded in 1973, and has another department in Cologne (Environmental Division), works on a comprehensive range of subjects on a scientific level but also in a practical way.

The Verein für Kommunalwissenschaften e.V. (Association for Municipal Sciences) is the sole shareholder of the research institute, which is run as a non-profit organization.

Weitere Informationen:
http://CircUse web site: http://www.circuse.eu
http://First newsletter: http://www.difu.de/sites/difu.de/files/CircUse_Flyer_June_2010.pdf

http://German Institute of Urban Affairs http://www.difu.de/en/institute