Economic deconcentration in a rational planning system: the Dutch case

Abstract

As the epitome of the welfare state, the Netherlands has a long and successful tradition of concentrating urban growth. In this chapter, we analyse how spatial planning policies worked out differently on the spatial economic deconcentration processes in the 1990s for the Northwing of the Randstad and the Breda region. In general terms, it can be stated that no massive employment deconcentration took place in the Netherlands during the 1990s, despite the fact that most employment growth was in the out-of-centre suburban areas. For the near future, it can be questioned whether the decentralization of the power structure in Dutch spatial planning and changing spatial concepts will be as effective as the preceding strategies were in limiting the extensive deconcentration of economic activities.