Shrinkage in Portuguese National Policy and Regional Spatial Plans: Concern or Unspoken Word?

Silvia Sousa () and Paulo Pinho ()
Additional contact information
Silvia Sousa: University of Algarve, Postal: Research Centre for Territory, Transports and EnvOporto, Portugalironment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Oporto, http://sigarra.up.pt/feup/pt/web_page.inicial
Paulo Pinho: University of Algarve, Postal: Research Centre for Territory, Transports and EnvOporto, Portugalironment, Faculty of Engineering, University of Oporto, http://sigarra.up.pt/feup/pt/web_page.inicial

Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, 2014, vol. 2, issue 4, 260-275

Abstract: This paper aims to assess whether and how current Portuguese national spatial planning policy and regional spatial plans are based on evidence revealing trends and patterns of population decrease and rural and urban shrinkage in Portugal. Firstly, built on a literature review, we identify the consequences of population decrease, the so-called characteristics of shrinkage, and we briefly look at dominant approaches and strategies to deal with it. Secondly, we review macro level policy documents to access global awareness and perception of shrinkage from a transnational perspective. Finally, after sketching an international framework on our subject matter shrinkage, a content analysis is applied to the Regional Spatial Plans of the Metropolitan Area of Lisbon and of the Northern Region. Urban shrinkage and shrinking cities are not explicitly mentioned in these documents. This is partly understandable because it is an emergent phenomenon in Portugal, in comparison with other countries, and because the concept is recent and it has not yet come to light in Portuguese planning practice. In addition, results suggest that the doctrine of growth is still embedded in Portuguese planning culture. In sum, despite clear evidence of population decrease in Portugal, spatial planning policy and regional spatial plans have either disavowal or reactive character pertaining population decrease and shrinkage.

Keywords: National Spatial Planning Policy; Regional Spatial Planning; City Shrinkage; Portugal (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: R00 R23 R28 R38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.cieo.pt/journal/J_4_2014/article1.pdf Full text (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ris:jspord:0036

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being is currently edited by Patrícia Pinto

More articles in Journal of Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being from Cinturs - Research Centre for Tourism, Sustainability and Well-being, University of Algarve University of Algarve, Faculty of Economics, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139 Faro, Portugal, Coordinator of the Centre: Prof. Patrícia Pinto, E-mail: pvalle@ualg.pt. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Silvia Fernandes ().