Another report does not leave a dry thread on the management of Polish space. The Polish Economic Institute has published a comprehensive study that reminds us of the 84 billion zlotys that spatial chaos costs us annually. The report gives and compiles many other figures that make up the alert on spatial order.
It's bad and there is no end in sight - these are the simplest conclusions after reviewing the report "Socio-Economic Effects of Spatial Chaos" published this week by the Polish Economic Institute.
The amount cited by the authors, 84 billion zlotys, which we are incurring due to improper spatial management, comes from four years ago (calculations by the Committee for Spatial Planning of the Polish Academy of Sciences). It can be presumed that the sum has increased since then (two years ago the authors of the scientific monthly Land estimated the increase to 90 billion). The main component of the calculated sum is the cost of transport service: commuting to workplaces, schools, services, trade, etc. (31 billion zlotys).
However, more important than the dizzying sum intended to attract the attention of the public are the more up-to-date data and survey results that can be found in the clear, nearly 60-page report. They allow a better understanding of the three main causes of chaos enumerated by the authors and, in a way, known for a long time: dynamic settlement processes, insufficient saturation of development plans and oversupply of land for residential development.
Data from the report "Socio-Economic Effects of Spatial Chaos"
Source: Polish Economic Institute
ting agglomerations
Settlement processes are manifested, among other things, in the depopulation of 70 percent of the country's area, the concentration of the population in the largest agglomerations (Warsaw, Wroclaw, Tricity, Krakow, Poznan) and the outflow of residents from cities to the suburbs (suburbanization). Interestingly:
Depopulation processes affect not only traditional peripheral areas, but an increasing number of cities. In 2020, the population declined in 1,784 municipalities (72 percent), including 812 cities (86 percent).
The report adds that the real decline is greater because part of the population outflow - remains undeclared (especially abroad).
Planning troubles, meanwhile, stem from the fact that plans cover only 31 percent of the country, and half of the investments are based on development conditions. In doing so, the authors comment that:
The provisions of the current Law on Planning and Zoning do not really leave officials much room to reject applications for zoning conditions for reasons other than formal ones (e.g., deficiencies in documentation). As a result, only 5 percent of decisions are denied. An official who decides to take care of spatial order in his municipality has his hands tied, because refusals can easily be annulled by the local government appeals board (SKO).1 Therefore, the problem that officials are corrupt and strange investments are created because of this seems exaggerated (...)
way too much
The third problem is an excess of land for residential development. The number is growing, as more and more land is being reclassified from agricultural to construction land - especially in suburban areas (30 percent of decisions on de-landing). Municipal zoning studies allocate more than 12 percent of land for residential development and allow 135 million citizens to live in the country. The figure for enacted local plans is respectively: 4.3 percent and 59 million people.
Such a situation, of course, increases the cost of infrastructure that municipalities have to handle new developments. The associated financial burden is the second largest component of the cost of chaos (20 billion zlotys). The report states that reducing it would save municipalities 5.8 billion zlotys.
Data from the report "Socio-Economic Effects of Spatial Chaos"
Source: Polish Economic Institute
happy suburbs?
Finally, spatial clutter also means increased air pollution (exhaust fumes, individual coal heating) - the greatest in the suburbs. This fact, however, does not affect the unfavorable assessment of this type of location by residents, who value the urban periphery the most. Indeed, the Polish Economic Institute conducted surveys to examine Poles' perceptions of spatial phenomena. Only the availability of services and public transportation is rated worse by suburban "escapees" than it is by city dwellers.
What else bothers Poles? First and foremost, the low availability of infrastructure or amenities (little public investment, green space, parks, entertainment venues, and poor transportation). Many respondents also pointed to poor quality of life (primarily noise, excessive traffic and lack of parking spaces). Advertising chaos is also a problem, although for respondents it is less important than the previous ills.
What should be done to at least partially improve the situation? The report does not answer this question directly, but in the final pages it provides diagnoses and comments that will allow the reader to develop his own position. One can also refer to the other studies mentioned in the document, whose conclusions and findings were used by the PIE authors.
