Policy · Policy

National Policy Strategy for Infrastructure and Spatial Planning (SVIR)

established 13 March 2012 · Netherlands

What it is

The Structuurvisie Infrastructuur en Ruimte of 2012 set out the state's spatial ambitions to 2040 while deliberately withdrawing the national government from many spatial tasks, devolving them to provinces and municipalities. It cut the number of national spatial interests to a small list of priorities such as the main transport networks, energy and water safety, and introduced the 'ladder for sustainable urbanisation' to discipline new development. The strategy continued the decentralising turn begun by the Nota Ruimte. It was later largely absorbed into the National Environmental Vision.

Why it matters

The SVIR formalised the retreat of central spatial planning and introduced the urbanisation ladder still used to justify new building.

See it on the timeline →
hub.toekom.st — History of Urbanism · an interactive timeline of 850 planned cities across 6,000 years.