Project acronym: South Baltic Arc

Project title: Spatial strategies for Integration and Sustainable Development Acceleration of the South Baltic Arc Zone

Application round: 1

Measure / Priority: Measure 1.1 Supporting joint strategies and implementation actions for macro-regions
Selected outputs:

Lead Partner:

Ministry of Labour, Building and Regional Development of MV
Spatial Planning Department, Schlossstr. 6-8
19503 Schwerin
GERMANY


Contact person:

Karl Schmude
not set
not set Schwerin
GERMANY
Tel: +49 (0)385 588 3831
E-Mail: karl.schmude@am.mv-regierung.de


Summary description of the project:

The transnational transport corridor "Via Hanseatica” connects the Eastern Baltic Sea Region with Central Europe. It is crucially important for political and economic cohesion of the Baltic Sea Region. However, low-quality transport links, numerous national borders, traditional economic structures and historical separation hamper integrated development. The project “South Baltic Arc” addresses these problems through transnational spatial planning, transport infrastructure development as well as complementary development measures at the regional level.
Objectives
“South Baltic Arc” has two main objectives: (1) Strengthening the co-operation of regional stakeholders within and among the participating countries in order to enhance regional development. (2) Reducing welfare disparities within the South Baltic Arc Region.
With regard to the EU-enlargement, “South Baltic Arc” demonstrates, which regional development effects enhanced transport infrastructure can generate, and how these effects can be reinforced by complementary regionally based development measures. At the transnational level spatial development strategies are harmonized and adjusted among countries and regions, and proposals for improvements of the transport infrastructure along the "Via Hanseatica" corridor are elaborated. At the same time concrete regional development measures, dealing with the development of large-scale industrial areas, the future role of Szczecin as the urban centre of the Polish-German border region, stronger sub-regional and local urban centres in rural areas as well as cultural and natural heritage as development factors, are prepared.

Achievements of the project so far:

Transnational Level: Harmonisation of Strategies, Agreement on Common Methodologies and Priorities
Transnationally relevant planning documents from all regions have been compiled for harmonising regional development strategies in the South Baltic Arc (SBA) region. On this basis, synergies and priorities for future transnational and cross-border action in the SBA region could be identified. The participation of the project partners in the formal consultation processes qualify the revised State Planning Programme of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern/DE and Regional Development Strategy of Voivodship Pomerania/PL as pilots for transnationally adjusted development strategies in the SBA region. The common declaration signed by the heads of the involved regions in Gdansk on 25 June 2004 created the basis for follow-up activities for continuing the SBA approach and partnership after the end of the current INTERREG project.
A common methodology for territorial impact assessment in transport infrastructure planning on programme level has been elaborated for conjointly identifying priority infrastructure measures along the “Via Hanseatica (VH)” corridor. In applying it, six priority measures have been defined for the Polish part of the VH corridor, including pre-feasibility assessments. Furthermore, the methodology has been adjusted and applied for Kaliningrad Oblast in order to define priorities for this part of the SBA region, too. The results have been presented in national and international fora.
Regional Level: Development of Large Scale Industrial Areas, Urban Centres, Green Networks
A pre-feasibility study on potential locations for large-scale industrial areas identified 7 priority locations in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. Sectoral studies and land-use plans have been completed for each site according to demands identified by the pre-study. Thus, the industrial areas could be prepared at low costs and are conjointly offered for investors. The methodology of this pilot action has been disseminated and will be used for similar activities in other countries in the SBA region.
Other expert studies have dealt with the role and accessibility of the City of Szczecin as an urban centre in the German-Polish border region, strengthening local and sub-regional urban centres in the impact zone of “Via Hanseatica” as well as cultural and natural heritage as development factors for the SBA region. An exchange of experience concerning the implementation of these measures has been initiated among the project partners. Conclusions for adjustments of existing development strategies as well as priorities for future transnational cooperation have been drawn against this background. Thus, the results from the implemented regional development measures have directly been used as input for strategic planning.


Duration: 25.02.2002 - 24.05.2005, 39 months

Approximate total project budget: 1,710,625.00€

ERDF: 587,418.75€

Norwegian national contribution: 0.00€

List of partners

Institution

Town

Country

Contact

Telephone / E-Mail

Ministry of Labour, Building and Regional Development of MV

Spatial Planning Department, Schlossstr. 6-8
19503 Schwerin		DEMr. Bernhard Heinrichs+49-385-588-3080 bernhard.heinrichs@am.mv-regierung.de

Regional Planning Association Vorpommern

Am Gorzberg, Haus 14
17309 Greifswald		DEMs. Christiane Falck-Steffens+49-3834-558 218 afrl-hgw@mvnet.de

Union of Municipalities of the Euroregion Pomerania e.V.

Ernst-Thälmann-Str. 4
17321 Löcknitz		DEMr. Heise, Director+49-39754-20580 .

Regional Planning Association Mecklenburgische Seenplatte

P.O.B. 110163
17041 Neubrandenburg		DEMr. Gerhard Lüdke, Director+49-395-380 30 00 .

Pomerania Region, Poland, on behalf of 3 Polish regions

Okopowa 21/27
80810 Gdansk		PLMr. Jan Zarebski, President+48-58-305 61 17 drrip@woj.-pomorskie.pl

Kaliningrad oblast; Lead Applicant: Pomerania Development Agency

Dm.Donskogo st. 1
236007 Kaliningrad		RUDr. Vitaly Zhdanov+7-0112 22 8905 economy@gov.kaliningrad.ru

Zemgale Development Agency on behalf of 3 Latvian regions

Pasta Iela 37
3001 Jelgava		LVMr. Raitis Madzulis+371-302 7549 raitis@jrp.lv

County of Taurage

Vasario 16-sios 6
5900 Taurage		LTMr. Simas Einikis, Director of Regional Development Department+37046-61320 simas@taurage.aps.lt

County of Klaipeda

Danes g. 17
5800 Klaipeda		LTMrs. Roma Stubriene, Director of Regional Development Department+370-6-312483 roma@klaipeda.aps.lt
Creation date: 11.09.2010 04:45:06
Source: http://www.bsrinterreg.net/programm/project.php?id=10151
Project: Spatial strategies for Integration and Sustainable Development Acceleration of the South Baltic Arc Zone