The first National Spatial Development Concept (NSDC) consists of two main parts: at the beginning of the document can be found the parlamentary decree, which aims to summarize the message of the concept. The concept itself follows after the text of the decree.

In the case of the first NSDC (in contrast with the second version adopted by the parliament in 2005) there are some discrepancies between the texts of the decree and the concept. The decree defines the vision of the concept (as a matter of fact the vision of the country) in 14 points and national objectives and principles of spatial policy. The document defines the most important sectoral priorities in connection with regional development (in the case of environmental protection, human infrasructure, industry, agriculture, tourism and physical infrastructure /transport, energy sector and water management, etc./). Furthermore the decree describes the main tasks of spatial policy by the millenium, which are as follows:

The structure of the concept itself is totally different from the decree. Though it comprises the objectives of the spatial policies and the principles and main tasks of regional development (as well as the decree), the main chapters are the analysis and evaluation of social-economic processes and development proposals for them; examination of territorial dimension of spatial policy and describing the system of institutions and means of regional development. So the first NSDC was rather a collection of ordinary guidelines and analyses than a document, which assign and defines specific objectives for the spatial policy and planning activity.

The first NSDC was the first developmental policy document of such legitimacy to define the long-term, comprehensive spatial-developmental objectives, the spatial guiding principles necessary for the formulation of developmental programmes, and provided information for orientation in sectoral and related spatial planning, as well as for anyone involved in spatial development. It was accepted by Parliamentary decree number 35/1998 (III. 20.).

VÁTI Hungarian Nonprofit Company for Regional Development and Town Planning
Hungary
http://www.vati.hu
Mr Géza Salamin (Head of Unit, Unit of Spatial Policy, Analysis and Evaluation), tel. +36 1 224 3268

01/01/1998

policy

Urban Policy