An integrated transport and spatial development concept for Luxembourg

The idea, the analysis,the concept

5 3

The IVL is ready!

After almost two years of hard work, theIntegrated Transport and Spatial Development Conceptfor Luxembourg (IVL- Integratives Verkehrs- undLandesentwicklungskonzept) is ready. In addition toanalysing the situation, drawing up scenarios and tryingto find concepts and possible solutions, the generalpublic has been kept informed via the website(www.ivl.public.lu), events and a brochure. The corethrust of the IVL, including its proposals for the development of Luxembourg, is outlined in this secondbrochure.

A pressing challenge to meet

Luxembourg's national economy has long sinceneeded more workers than actually live in the country.Should this be resolved in the future by more com-muters from outside the country or by more people liv-ing in the actual country? Where would the populationlive in the country? Can we limit the growth of trans-port with all its consequences, thereby maintaining thequality of life and competitiveness of Luxembourg with-in an enlarged Europe?

These questions will also remain topical if, ashappened recently, economic growth flattens out some-what. If growth consolidates at a lower level than wasrecorded at the end of the nineties, the underlying fore-casts would take a little longer to come about. However,the technical questions remain the same because, forreasons of protecting the landscape, using public fundsselectively and developing the regions attractively, anintegrated manner of thinking and evaluation mustbecome the yardstick. Annual economic growth of about

4% has been taken as a basis for the starting hypothe-sis for processing the IVL.

The IVL set out to investigate how the settle-ment structure, commuter structure and transport infra-structure can be developed and coordinated in thefuture. The aims were to increase the share of publictransport from the current figure of 12% to 25% by theyear 2020, to develop the housing structure further insuch a way that it helps to avoid and relocate transportand to reduce the use of the landscape.

The path to the IVL

A planning team was commissioned with thetask of compiling the IVL, covering all the specifiedplanning aspects. It comprises the following offices:AS&P (which is responsible for the topic of urban devel-opment, in particular), R+T Partners (which is responsi-ble for the topic of transport development, in particu-lar) and L.A.U.B. (which is responsible for the topic oflandscape development, in particular). The Ministry ofthe Interior and Spatial development, the Ministry ofTransport, the Ministry of the Environment, the Ministryfor Public Works, as well as the Ministry of EconomicAffairs and Foreign Commerce and the Ministry ofMiddle-Class Enterprises, Tourism and Housing took partin the steering group. This type of cooperation, on thepart of the authorities too, is another step towardsinnovation!

In addition, at the start in 2003 an interna-tional group of experts was convened to provide advicefor the IVL. They were asked to provide a critical evalu-

1

4 5

The current situation in Luxembourg

In a first step, an analysis was conducted intothe country's fundamental structures, such as the plan-ning and administration strata, the settlement structure,on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the spatiallyrelevant parameters, such as population and housingstructures, jobs, transport, transport infrastructure,classification of the natural environment, as well asenvironmental and spatial restrictions.

Essential results of the analysis:

During the 90s, the percentage of the population liv-ing in rural areas increased more quickly than in thecapital and in neighbouring municipalities, in the Southand in some central places. This has not helped to sta-bilise the polycentric structure defined by the ProgrammeDirecteur.

Further development needs to make allowance for thefact that, with households becoming smaller and thecorresponding increase in living space consumption perhead, approximately 20,000 new homes will be requiredby 2020, even without any further growth in population.

Utilisation density for housing space varies between5 and 30 housing units per hectare, depending on theregion, with an average of 13 homes per hectare (rela-tive to the gross building land available). This is low byinternational comparisons and has to be raised in orderto lower the consumption of space and to improve thepossibilities for developing the local public transportnetwork.

ation of the ongoing work on the concept and inde-pendent recommendations for the strategic orientationof the concept. The experts met four times, discussedthe drafts which were compiled by the planning teamand made suggestions on how to take this further.Whilst there were also very different perspectives repre-sented, everyone involved signed up to the recommen-dations which were completed in autumn 2003 (cf.www.ivl.public.lu), confirming that they were toeing acommon line.

There are selected comments and recommenda-tions by experts contained in boxes for each of the dif-ferent topics in this publication.

What should the benefit of the IVL be?

The IVL will help to put into practice the essen-tial targets set out in the Programme Directeur (seewww.ivl.public.lu) which was passed by the governmentin spring 2003. In this sense the IVL is, firstly, a strate-gic tool for considering different development optionsand, secondly, a working instrument for coordinatingsectorial plans, as well as a framework for regional undlocal authority planning. Furthermore, the IVL is designedto serve as a new planning approach for establishingintegrated thinking and coordinated actions in practicein the longer term. However, the IVL is a strategic, con-ceptual plan, it does not represent concrete project andfinance planning!

The international experts on the approach of the IVL:

"The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has reached adevelopment threshold which calls for consistencyin governmental actions in order to safeguard sus-tainable development options for the future of thecountry."

"Processing the development of the landscape,housing and transport in a common, integratedconcept is a trend-setting approach to planning.It allows positions of interest, targets and con-flicting objectives on the part of these specificareas to be identified at an early stage and a cor-ridor of solutions to be defined in consultationwith the key players as a basis for coordinatedaction and for the requisite focusing of measures."

"In view of the number of issues which have tobe resolved, the IVL has to be a robust conceptwhich can withstand any changes in the develop-ment parameters."

Demographic evolution 1991 - 2001

The analysis: Structures anddevelopment potentials

2

< 15 %

15 - 30 %

30 - 45 %

45 - 60 %

> 60 %

Population growth

Modal split of work-related traffic travelling to and/or from thecity of Luxembourg

6 7

The distribution of jobs in the different parts of thecountry shows that there are disproportionately more inthe Centre-South region and, more especially, in the cityof Luxembourg, which was to be expected; there is alsoan unexpectedly high number of places of work in theNorth, as well as a comparatively low number in theSouth. The national average number of places of work inLuxembourg in 2002 is about 650.

Jobs in 2002 per 1000 inhabitants (workforce)

On an average working day there are 1.77 million jour-neys made in Luxembourg, 1.42 million of them by car,bus or rail. The modal split which reflects the percentagesof the different modes of transport reveals that the roadsof Luxembourg City are the only place where local publictransport achieves a value of just over 20 per cent. Thecorresponding value for the whole country is 12 per cent.Cross-border commuters are particularly low-rate localpublic transport users. The diagram of the "Modal split ofwork-related traffic" shows that people who commute towork in Luxembourg City by public transport only do soto any significant degree from municipalities where thereis a rail connection.

The largest car flows are on the motorways. The roadnetwork is characterised by very marked rush-hour trafficin the morning and by an evening peak which is less pronounced but which lasts longer. These peaks occur, inparticular, on the arteries leading into Luxembourg City.The phenomenon of commuter traffic overlaps with aspecific feature of urban development in Luxembourg. Asresidential areas are primarily built along local mainroads, residents are particularly exposed to noise andexhaust fume pollution. The map shows the quality oftraffic flow, in particular (in red) the routes and thor-oughfares on which more than 8000 vehicles are countedin 24 hours and which are therefore classed as critical.

Bicycles play as good as no role in everyday transport;local journeys are mainly travelled by car: almost half ofjourneys under 1 km, and over 60% of journeys up to 2 km. This traffic pattern is favoured by the mainly dis-persed settlement structure, by the high degree ofmotorization and by the low fuel costs.

Modal split by distance

80

90

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

< 0,

5

[%]

0,5

- 1

1 -

2

2 -

3

3 -

5

< 0,

5

10 -

25

25 -

50

> 50

0

Cars Pedestrians PubTrans Bicycle Others

Annual average of the traffic flow quality

< 300

300-400

400-500

500-1000

> 1000

< 5 %

5-10 %

11-15 %

16-20 %

21-25 %

> 25 %

Jobs per 1000 inhabitants

Share of public transport

NORTH480

WEST300

CENTRE-NORTH450

EAST360

SOUTH380

CENTRE-SOUTH1.080

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The landscape planning evaluation took both legallybinding restrictions (e.g. nature reserves) and restric-tions arising from a planning perspective (e.g. exces-sively steep slopes, biotopes which merit protection)into consideration. According to this, about 60% of thecountry should be kept free from building up. And theremaining areas must take due account of environmentallegislation, which requires environmental compatibilitychecks for certain measures, as well as the aestheticqualities of the landscape and other factors, such as thequality of the soil for agricultural use. The map showsthe distribution of the areas that are bound by legalrestrictions (dark green) and the areas which may not bebuild on from a landscape-planning perspective (lightgreen).

What is possible in Luxembourg?

The analysis was followed by a detailed exami-nation of the development potential of the country. It

identified as yet not used residential, commercial,mixed-building areas, which are shown on the munici-pal land use plans (PAG) and other usages;

analyzed the current dialogue about measures in localpublic transport on the road network and evaluated it;

in the case of the development of housing and trans-port routes, it examined overlaps with existing and pro-posed legal restrictions; and

it considered the expected development quota forplanned building sites.

This investigation showed which of the markedbuilding sites are theoretically available for building on,which planning needs to be carried out for transportroutes, what conflicts this causes with the landscapeand which areas need to be preserved or developed infuture from an ecological perspective.

To sum up, there are currently already about6300 hectares of space earmarked for development inthe PAG, corresponding to about 2.4% of the area ofLuxembourg or 31% of the current urbanized space.60% of this reserve of building land is intended for res-idential housing, 28% for industry, commerce and serv-ices, as well as 12% for other uses. However, talks withlocal mayors reveal that not all this space is availableon the market: a mobilisation rate of about 60% isexpected. Investigations into current settlement devel-opment structures have revealed that there is still furthercapacity within the existing cities and villages: 8 - 12% of housing, mixed-use or core areas which arecurrently already developed or which are lying vacantcould be used more intensively through conversion orby recondensing.

Restrictions on urban development

Spatial model

In order to consider which framework would besensible and viable for the spatial development ofLuxembourg, abstracted models with clear targets havebeen discussed, and the advantages and disadvantages forspatial planning have been specified. The combination ofseveral models has given rise to the spatial model of the"polycentric urban structures integrated in the landscapeembedded in functional regions". Particular advantages tothis spatial model are:

the creation of a critical mass for local public trans-port, i.e. a minimum volume of homes which are closeenough to one another to enable their occupants tohave adequate demand for good local public transportconnections;

steering growth in order to strengthen the spatialstructure of the country and in order to develop a citywith European stature;

new urbanism with different functions in the Southregion, in “Nordstad” and in the agglomeration of theCity of Luxembourg with a suburban development axis inthe Alzette Valley, as well as

the complementary development of the rural areas, inparticular in such a way that their specific qualities arestrengthened and avoiding the emergence of dispersedhousing developments.

The "polycentric urban structures integrated inthe landscape " comprises Nordstad, Luxembourg Cityand its surrounding agglomeration and the South regionas a networked system of cities and towns, linked by

green belt areas. The other part areas should be devel-oped further into regions which are functional in thelong term, preserving the structure that has emergedthere, their cultural and landscape attractiveness andtheir regional identity.

A model of territorial organization as a framework for the future spatial development of the country

3

legal restrictionslandscape planning restrictions

City of Luxem-bourg

South region

Upper Oesling

Minette

Moselle region

« Müllerthal »

Our Valley

Upper Sûre Lake

Canton Redange

« Nordstad »

Alzette Valley

10 11

The international experts on the spatialmodel:

"With its excellent landscape qualities anddiverse settlement structures, the Grand Duchy ofLuxembourg offers good potential for designingurban developments of the quality called for byfirms in the knowledge-based sector in competi-tion between locations within Europe."

"In line with the IVL, the group of experts rec-ommends a decentralised spatial developmentconcept. Support should not be given for one cen-tre, further development should acknowledge thecountry's agricultural, historical and regionalpeculiarities and take due account of existinginvestments in housing developments and infra-structures".

In consideration of the objectives of theProgramme Directeur, on the basis of the spatial model,as well as of the forecasts and assumptions for thedevelopment of the country, various inter-related spatialand transport scenarios have been compiled, analysedand evaluated.

Is there any need for corrections in spatialdevelopment?

An initial calculation shows that the popula-tion development on the sites which are classified andcan be mobilised today would not be in line with theobjectives of the desired spatial model. It would resultin a disproportionately low development of the Southregion, even though it offers good potential for con-densing and for developing the rail network, and dis-proportionately high population growth in rural areas,coupled with diminished significance for various centralplaces. If the transport, landscape and spatial-planningobjectives which are associated with the spatial modelare to be achieved, the shape of spatial developmentneeds to be revised, in addition to the more condensedform of building which has already been considered.Namely:

consistent urban densification and use of the existingbuilding land reserves, brown-field sites or underusedareas in local core areas,

consistent coordination between housing developmentand public transport by prioritising the developmentand identification of new sites in the vicinity of railwaystations,

consistent spatial concentration whereby the popula-tions in central places grow at an above-average rate,while those in rural areas grow at a more moderate pace.

What does the future hold - more peoplecommuting to Luxembourg or more peopleliving here?

The Grand Duchy of Luxembourg's developmentas a country depends largely on its economic develop-ment and, by association, on the number of profession-al commuters from outside the country or on the trendin inhabitant numbers. The starting basis for the IVL isthe number of jobs, which is predicted to be 395,000 bythe year 2020.

With this assumed increase of 106,000 jobs,but with the number of people resident in Luxembourgonly rising insignificantly at the same time, 91,000 jobswould have to be filled by more people moving here orby more commuters.

The "commuter scenario" presupposes that75% of the 91,000 employment opportunities will befilled by commuters. This would take the number ofcross-border commuters to a total 168,000, while thenumber of residents would rise to 511,000. The IVL con-tains ideas on how these numbers of residents could bespread out spatially in line with the above targets. Theexisting housing land and that which could bemobilised according to the PAG plans would suffice,although this would entail the selective creation ofareas of concentration and intensive urban densification.

Scenarios and effects

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Balanced development and strengthening ofregional identities can be promoted on the basis of dif-ferentiated pictures of the individual areas. The greenbelt, i.e. the space between Luxembourg City and thesouthern region, and the strips of green belt between theAlzette Valley and Nordstad serve as recreational areas forthe conurbation and also connect with other areas oflandscape.

12 13

The "resident scenario" presupposes that only40% of the available jobs are taken by commuters. Sincethis would entail greater numbers of new residents mov-ing in, the number of residents would rise to 561,000,and the number of cross-border commuters would rise to136,000. The IVL also examines how this increase in res-idents could be dispersed spatially in this case. In orderto guarantee the supply of goods and services to theadditional residents, the targets which would have to beapplied would be to develop new housing land and toupgrade further towns to central places, in addition tothose identified in the Programme Directeur.

Where will the new jobs be?

The spatial model will also give rise to regionalrequirements in terms of the development of jobs, mostnotably:

improved distribution in respect that employment andhousing must be able to be linked regionally;

developing zones of economic activity close to theborder, in particular for sectors in which many com-muters work;

greater diversification in terms of job opportunities,e.g. to support the structural change in the southernregion.

In a workplace scenario the IVL has examinedthe possibilities for working with the forecast growth injobs. It shows that this growth can theoretically beaccommodated on the existing potential space. Thequality-related targets call for a differentiated underpin-ning of central places and regions.

The spatial implementation of the commuterand resident scenario, as well as of the workplace sce-nario forms the basis for transport scenarios.

How will the transport situation develop inLuxembourg?

The transport scenarios IVL1 and IVL2 outlinedin the IVL serve to peg out the transport-related frame-work for action through to the forecast horizon. The pri-mary objective in the two scenarios is to reduce the per-centage of transport by road. They are fundamentallybased on the same strategies:

promoting walking and travelling by bicycleparking space managementexpanding the local public transport networkreducing the traffic load passing through towns and

reinforcing heavily used sections of roadbuilding Park+Ride and Bike+Ride facilities

However, the intensity with which they areused varies. For example, scenario IVL2 describes amuch stronger coupling of housing development withregional access by train and tram. This coupling is anelementary block to the sustained shifting of road-usersto local public transport.

The individual expansion measures in the road and localpublic transport networks are described in more precisedetail in section 5.5 of the IVL Final Report (seewww.ivl.public.lu).

The figure illustrates how person-journeyswould develop under the assumption of the commuterscenario or of the resident scenario. Between 1997 and2002 alone, the number of cross-border person-journeysrose by 22%, and the number of domestic person-jour-neys rose by 8%. The third column shows the forecastfor the year 2020 under the assumption that the com-muter scenario (i.e. comparatively low growth in build-ing land and residents and higher growth in commuters).In that event, the number of cross-border journeyswould be up over a third on 2002, whilst domestic jour-neys would be up a tenth. Applying the resident scenario(i.e. higher growth in residents and building land andcomparatively lower growth in terms of commuter num-bers), this growth would be split equally between cross-border and domestic journeys. The number of journeyswould rise at a higher rate than in the commuter sce-nario because school runs, supermarket trips, etc. wouldalso occur within Luxembourg; in the commuter scenariothey occur abroad and do not count. However, since thejourneys are shorter, the resident scenario would stillgenerate less traffic on the whole.

When working through the scenarios, it becomesclear in respect of the expansion of the transport net-works that the political objective of 25% local publictransport use can be almost achieved using transportscenario IVL2. The figures opposite show how the per-centages for local transport and passenger car journeyswould develop under the conditions for transport scenar-ios IVL1 and IVL2. Therefore, future measures in termsof transport infrastructure should be based on scenarioIVL2 or should even exceed it in terms of the local pub-lic transport on offer.

2.000.000

1.800.000

1.600.000

1.400.000

1.200.000

1.000.000

800.000

600.000

400.000

200.000

0

326.000

1.265.000

939.000

399.000

1.417.000+12%

1.018.000

537.000

1.655.000+17%

1.118.000

488.000

1.729.000+22%

1.241.000

1997

Cross-border person-journeysDomestic person-journeys

2002 2020 commuter scenario 2020 resident scenario

+22%

+8%

+35%

+10%

+22%

+22%

Volume of transport in 2020 for thetwo population scenarios

Modal split in IVL 1

Public transport share of total traffic

Total: 1.7m person-journeys

Public transport: 19%

Publictransport:24%

Public transport: 7%

Cars: 93%

Cars: 81%

Cars: 76%

Publictransport:22%

Publictransport:28%

Public transport: 8%

Cars: 92%

Cars: 78%

Cars: 72%

488,000 person-journeys

Public transport share of cross-border traffic

1.2m person-journeys

Public transport share of domestic traffic in Luxembourg

Modal split in IVL 2

Public transport share of total traffic

Total: 1.7m person-journeys

488,000 person-journeys

Public transport share of cross-border traffic

1.2m person-journeys

Public transport share ofdomestic traffic inLuxembourg

14 15

Advantages and disadvantages of the resident and commuter scenario

The commuter scenario requires markedly lessbuilding land. If building densities are raised and theareas are mobilised accordingly, the requirements canbe met on building land which has already been identi-fied.

From the point of view of transport, the com-muter scenario entails fewer person-journeys than theresident scenario. However, the distances covered in thecommuter scenario are longer, giving rise to a greatervolume of traffic on the whole. Since the resident sce-nario makes for better use of local public transportcapacities and yields increased possibilities for walkingor taking a bicycle to work, the resident scenario ispreferable from a transport perspective.

The resident scenario also needs to be organ-ised in order to foster compatibility with balanced spa-tial development. It entails considerably greaterrequirements in terms of spatial development. Theentire country must undergo a "leap in development",e.g. by identifying new, large areas of building landwhich are well served by public transport or by enlarg-ing the existing centres and developing new centralplaces which possess reasonable infrastructure.

From the perspective of landscape-planning,special measures are required in both scenarios in orderto protect and develop the open space.

The international experts on the spatial modeland the scenarios:

"The regional assignment of housing and work-force development is based on the guiding princi-ple of decentralised concentration (ProgrammeDirecteur) which is developed and firmed up in theIVL in such a way as to respond with adequate fle-xibility to other developments as well."

"... the target of 25% use of local public trans-port only appears to be attainable in the longterm if public transport is marketed as a betteralternative to cars. Attractive offers must be deve-loped, in particular in the more built-up urbanareas because cars are only of limited benefit hereand literally get in the way of the development ofNew Urbanism."

"In weighing up the advantages and disadvan-tages of both scenarios, the group of expertsrecommends that the resident scenario be pursuedbecause the resident potential which is requiredfor the desired development objectives is mobili-sed more successfully here and, at the same time,outlay on transport grows less."

The planning concept behind the IVL repre-sents a spatial structure, covering both the developmentscenarios and the transport scenarios compatibly withthe area in question. The planning concept for thewhole country is supplemented by the description of sixareas of in-depth analysis. The concept is based on thedifferentiated application of the principles of urban,transport and open-space development, which have pre-viously been mentioned as targets in the scenarios:

Polycentricity and complementary relationshipbetween urban and rural regions

In the future, spatial development should begeared more towards a polycentric spatial structure byabove-average development of the central places. In theevent of a high growth in population (resident sce-nario), the IVL proposes new central places in additionto those already identified in the Programme Directeur.The close proximity between centres and rural areasenables Luxembourg residents to develop very differentlifestyles. Care must be taken to ensure that ahome/work balance is developed in all parts of thecountry.

Higher building density and urban concentration

As the density of housing and commercial landin Luxembourg is relatively low, greater housing densi-ties must be achieved on new-build areas by means ofhigh-quality, attractively condensed forms of livingaccommodation, innovative commercial land manage-ment (business parks) and in existing building stockthrough re-condensing and selective re-use, as well as

land recycling. More compact forms of housing insteadof arranging buildings along a main street, which waspreviously the practice, and the consideration for attrac-tive pedestrian and cycle paths already during the plan-ning-phase will contribute to the use of environmental-ly friendly modes of transport for short journeys insteadof using cars.

Bringing settlement development and local publictransport closer

During the development of new building sitesand activities for inner development, favourable accessto local public transport (especially the rail network) isan important planning criterion for supporting the IVL'sobjective to promote public transport. Train-tram sys-tems should be expanded in urban development areas inaddition to classical railways. Urban development andthe expansion of the train-tram network should be cou-pled in order to reinforce the desired priority of localpublic transport right from the off. This will enablehousing to be developed more compatibly and enablemore efficient use to be made of local public transportcapacity in particular.

New urbanism

By steering the growth of housing and jobs, inparticular in urban areas, this will create the requisite"critical mass" to facilitate an attractive local publictransport service. By promoting diversity of choice interms of economic, social, sporting and cultural oppor-tunities, this creates a new urbanism which is importantboth to the residents of Luxembourg and toLuxembourg's profile within Europe.

The planning concept

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17

Concept

Key

Higher order central place

Medium order central place

Regional centre

Additional central place in the resident scenario

Urban development region with integrated open spaces

Spatial focus Individual transport

Development areas

PAG and PAP-potential areas

P+R

Park & Ride facilityP+R

Rail changeover terminal

Existing: with a 1000 m radius

Newly planned with a 1000 m radius

New planned Train-Tram with a 500 m-radius

Intrinsic developmentE

Region-specific development

Housing land

Commercial land

Mixed-use land

Other land

Existing: Motorway / Express way

Existing: A-roads

Road layout under construction or newly opened

Nature parks in neighbouring countries(Existing and planned)

Habitat areas, bird and nature reserves

Cross-border green corridors

Green areasGreen belt

Green wedges

Dogger level

Nature parks in Luxembourg (Existing and planned)

Individual transport

Public transportExisting: RailExisting: A-roadsExpansion planning at an advanced stage

Measures to reduce the traffic passing through towns and corridors to reinforce critical sections of routes (subject to undergoing an environmental impact assessment and the precise definition of the course of the route)

Corridor for rail transport measures (subject to undergoing an environmental impact assessment and the precise definition of the course of the route)

OtherAreas for key projects

Landscape- and environmental compatibility

The approach taken in the IVL is fundamentallygeared towards spatially compatible development,encompassing landscape compatibility as well. On theone hand, landscape is a potential asset in terms ofboth natural resources and aesthetic values and, on theother hand, also offers developmental potential forexploiting the economic and cultural basis of eachregion. This approach applies in addition to the legallyprescribed environmental impact assessments, it doesnot supersede them!

Diversity of regions - differentiated devel-opment objectives and courses of actions

The IVL proposes differentiated developmentobjectives and measures for the different areas withinLuxembourg.

Rural regions as a separate type of development

The rural regions should be developed as areaswith a separate identity, high quality of life and inde-pendent functions. The essential areas of action in theseregions are moderate growth in residents through thevillages' intrinsic development, strengthening theregional centres through selective promotion of theinfrastructure and improving the quality of jobs on offerthrough diversification.

Intrinsic development means that the townshould not grow primarily by having people move infrom outside, but rather optimising the range of facili-ties available for the existing population and their chil-dren, as well as to make use of existing building stockthrough quality growth.

Good access to the rail network is a centralrequirement for sustainable development of the ruralregions. Therefore, the bus network should be linked tothe rail network at central nodes and be incorporatedinto an integrated timetables. In addition, there areplans to reduce the volumes of traffic passing throughsmaller rural towns.

A programme of settlement development whichrespects the landscape, as well as the creation of a bal-anced package of social infrastructure should be initiatedthrough innovative pilot projects, e.g. restoring formerfarm buildings for residential purposes.

The international experts on regionally differ-entiated development:

"In line with the IVL, the group of experts rec-ommends a decentralised regional developmentconcept which, in terms of its response, differen-tiates between the rural regions, the "Nordstad"which has still to be developed, the settlementdevelopment in the Alzette Valley which is to becoordinated with the development of the railways,the urbanisation in Luxembourg city and its com-muter belt and a South region which has beendeveloping for many years and decades."

Nature Park Forêt d’Anlier

Nature Park “Müllerthal”

Nature Park Upper Sûre Lake

Nature Park Atterttal

Nature Park Südeiffel

Nature Park Our

Nature Park Dreiländereck

18 19

Cooperation between local authorities is impera-tive in order to ensure that work is divided between theindividual areas of the rural region. This should be basedand promoted selectively on the basis of the specific suit-ability of the locations and spatial potentials. The naturepark concept should be expanded within this concept as asource of incentive and as a development instrument. Inaddition, the efficiency of the nature parks should be bol-stered through cooperation at national and cross-borderlevel.

The agglomeration of Luxembourg City, theAlzette Valley and the South region as com-plementary regions: the "landscape city"

The expression "landscape city" was coined inthe IVL process to characterise the central developmentregion within the country. Taking in the South region,the green belt, Greater Luxembourg and the AlzetteValley, it comprises built-up areas with green areas andopen space in-between.

The "Zone Verte Interurbaine" regional park

The green belt between the conurbations of theSouth region and the agglomeration of Luxembourg Cityplays an important role as an area for rest and recre-ation; this role must be safeguarded and developed. Forthis reason a regional park should be created. A region-al park is an area of landscape within the conurbation;it is used for farming, as a recreational facility and tosafeguard the aesthetic qualities of the landscape. Asthese factors overlap and, to some degree, clash withone another as a result of the overlapping burden ofuse, careful planning, good accessibility, the availabili-ty of paths and facilities for recreational use and infor-

mation about the culture and history of the region, aswell as the shielding of some areas for the preservationof nature and the landscape are imperative. Since aregional park within the conurbation is surrounded byareas of housing, it is vital that there is cooperationbetween the various local authorities on its develop-ment.

The South region

The built-up South region offers special poten-tial for condensing in conjunction with the existing railinfrastructure. As a complementary development regionto the agglomeration of Luxembourg City, the popula-tion and job market should be developed more intense-ly in the south. The brown-field conversion land thereoffers great potential for development, whereby furtherhousing land should be developed in the medium tolong term. The " development of the brownfield site“Belval-Ouest" is lined up as a central project for thisdevelopment; according to the IVL, it should be devel-oped as a matter of priority.

Developing the rail network in combinationwith settlement close to the local public transport net-work will improve the conditions for developing theSouth region further. The IVL presupposes using theclassical rail system for international links and for con-nections to Luxembourg City and using the train-tramsystem for opening up the inter-regional network. Fromthe perspective of the IVL, the A13 should continue toserve as a main arterial route for the region.

Luxembourg City and conurbation

Luxembourg City needs to be of a certain sizein order to count itself as a major European centre tolive and work in. Therefore, it needs to see an increasein resident numbers, in particular, but also see animprovement in terms of the quality of jobs on offer, i.e.high-grade urban construction and jobs in the servicesector.

In this regard, special importance is attachedto the southwest of Luxembourg City where there is lotsof potential land available for housing and employment.Suitable concepts should enhance the objective ofmixed use. The land to the southwest of LuxembourgCity should also be mobilised simultaneously and pro-gressively with the priorities of spatial development onthe national level and the target to strengthen the role

of other regional centers. In order to safeguard a com-plementary development of the city and its surround-ings, the development of the area to the southwest ofLuxembourg City should be coordinated with the townsin the surrounding area and in line with the possibili-ties for exploiting the land potential shown there.

The expansion of the local public transportinfrastructure should be supported, in particular, byincreased coupling of the train-tram system and hous-ing development, as well as by measures such as park-ing area management and mobility management in orderto optimise the use of public transport. A six-laneexpansion of the “Boulevard de Contournement” shouldstrengthen the capacity of the road network, which isalready heavily congested at present.

Alzette Valley

Important characteristics of the Alzette Valleyare its typical valley topography, the ribbons of settle-ment development and the good connections to the railnetwork. Since there is not only to be a railway network,but also a train-tram system with a higher density ofstops, settlement development should be promoted, inparticular, within the commuter belts of existing andadditional stops through inner development and con-densed building. From a transport perspective, thereshould not be any intensive settlement developmentundertaken away from the specified commuter belts inorder to avoid excessive volumes of transport and thetraffic burden that this would involve. It is particularlyimportant to keep the green wedges between the townsclear in order to prevent the areas of housing, which arealready close together, from merging and thus toencourage an attractive, diverse settlement and land-scape pattern.

The international experts recommend the following

"Support in the organisation of regional forumson the problems and development ideas relatingto the rural region in order to promote the gener-al exchange of views about the rural region and inorder to integrate local expertise into the finalis-ing of the strategy."

The international experts have identified thepossibility

"... of developing the agglomeration ofLuxembourg City, the Alzette Valley fromWalferdange to Mersch, the South region and theopen spaces between them as a daily urbansystem (living - working - education - relaxation),inclusive its green corridors."

The international experts recommend:

"Strengthening Nordstad's central position onthe basis of its specific potential, requirements andopportunities by providing assistance in compilingan inter-community development plan"

"Setting up an association of local authorities forplanning and implementing the measures"

“Nordstad” as a service centre within therural region

Nordstad should be upgraded as a centre forthe north and, therefore, be developed both in terms ofsize and quality of services. Given “Nordstad's” confinedvalley location, higher building densities will berequired in the future, as well as the mobilisation ofland in the inner zone. Further measures, such as devel-oping a slope or plateau, should only be implemented ifit is likely that the resident scenario will be followed.Particular attention will be given to preserving the land-scape and opening up the local public transport system.As a central requirement for future decision-making interms of spatial and transport development in“Nordstad”, the IVL proposes drawing up a "NordstadDevelopment Plan". In this context it is also importantto identify the qualities which should and can be pro-moted in Nordstad to enable it to take on the role whichis earmarked for it.

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Implementing a concept as complex as the IVLis very challenging. Therefore, a package of measuresand instruments needs to be employed, and the meas-ures need to be phased in according to the developmentdynamics.

More concrete plans

Planning measures represent one approach tothe implementation of the IVL. They include, for exam-ple, regional and sectorial plans which can be used toincorporate or implement the findings from the IVL intodeliberations on regional and municipal projects. Asregards the sectorial plans, the IVL recommends thatthey be compiled in the areas of "Transport", "Housing","Landscape" and "Industrial and commercial zones".Regional plans should be compiled as a matter of prior-ity in the regions with a strong need for steering andcoordination , i.e. the South and the Centre-Southregions.

Implementing key projects

Over and beyond these planning measures, it isrecommended that concrete key projects be carried out.They are projects which are devised for individual partareas and contain innovative concepts for showcasingexemplary developments in spatial, transport and land-scape planning and which, thus, inspire follow-on proj-ects. The following key projects are proposed in the IVL:

the development in the area to the southwest ofLuxembourg city on the basis of an interactive planningprocess

a new residential area in the South built close to thelocal public transport network

the regional park for the creation of the "Zone VerteInterurbaine"

the Nordstad development planthe implementation of region-specific measures in

rural regions, such as using farm buildings for new pur-poses

differentiated projects for inner development in ruraland urban areas.

Introduction of new and adaptation ofexisting instruments

Support measures (such as housing construc-tion support, economic development support) should beused as incentives for specific projects which serve toimplement the objectives of the IVL. The support meas-ures should be designed to back the regional focus ofthe IVL, in particular.

Under the term "land management" instru-ments and measures should be created which promoteland mobilisation, which facilitate the re-zoning of anyunsuitable land and which support the identificationand exploitation of potential for inner development(e.g. register of gaps between buildings).

The implementation

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As far as regulatory measures are concerned,the reform of the system of municipal land use planninghas to be concluded with the creation of new instru-ments, such as the introduction of a building obligationand the definition of development, restructuring orregeneration areas. In the area of parking space man-agement, it is recommended that parking regulations beintroduced nationwide which are coordinated with thedevelopment of the local public transport network.

In order to develop common projects and tobetter coordinate national, regional and local planningactivities , the instrument proposed in the ProgrammeDirecteur, i.e. the "Contrat de développement", shouldbe developed.

A nationwide system of mobility managementshould help to coordinate the services being offered bylocal transport operators, as well as to coordinate thebundling of demand (e.g. through the introduction ofjob tickets). A Mobility Centre will offer people advice,for example, on using different, environmentally friend-ly transport services or to promote car pooling.

Steering of planning and developmentprocesses

The implementation of the objectives whichare set out in the Programme Directeur with the aid ofthe principles and concepts developed in the IVLrequires departments which are involved in spatial,transport and landscape planning not only to extend the

scope of their own competence and orientation, butalso to develop the culture of planning further withregard to cooperation and consultation. This should beimplemented within the scope of process management,e.g. through awareness strategies and suitable commu-nication policy, through modernisation of local authoritystructures, through the continuous coordination of theplanning process, as well as through process monitoring.

The implementation of the IVL requires thedevelopment steps to be phased in, in particular. Theymust be defined in such a way that the overall systemis guaranteed to function properly at any point in time,even if developments slow down or are postponed onaccount of the economic situation. This is vital for arobust concept. This enables the different interests inand demands on the region to be coordinated in a cre-ative, open and competent manner.

Information:

www.ivl.public.lu

Contact:

Ministère de l'Intérieur et de l'Aménagement du TerritoireDirection de l'Aménagement du TerritoireM. Philippe Peters478 69 24ivl@mat.etat.lu

Orthophotos:

Origine Cadastre: Droits réservés à l'Etat du Grand-Duché de Luxembourg

German edition: 2004English translation: 2005

Ministries involved:

Ministry of the Interior and Spatial developmentMinistry of TransportMinistry of Public WorksMinistry of the EnvironmentMinistry of Economic Affairs and Foreign CommerceMinistry for Middle-Class Enterprises, Tourism and Housing

Planning team:

Albert Speer & Partner GmbH

R+T Topp Skoupil Küchler and Partner

L.A.U.B.Gesellschaft für Landschaftsanalyse und Umweltbewertung mbH

Editorial and layout work on the brochure:

Ministry of the Interior and Spatial Development (DATer)Dipl.-Ing. Ursula Stein, Office for Regional Planning andCommunicationContext s.à.r.l., communication management

©

www.ivl.public.lu