Based on the findings of the Interreg IIC project New Urban Landscapes, the objective of SAUL is to explore the role of socially inclusive spaces in the sustainable development of metropolitan regions in North West Europe. In particular it aims to promote the need for regional identity within spatial planning, to establish a new planning culture in that area through transnational partnerships as well as to develop a transnational and regional process of learning.

The SAUL project is related to the innovative planning and design of urban spaces across six north-west European metropolitan areas. Each region develops and implements demonstration projects in which the other partner regions should be actively involved. In addition, a so called Transnational Planning Laboratory Programme (TransPlanLab) summarises the results of the projects and SAUL creates a good practice guide on planning through transnational partnerships.
In the case of Luxembourg, the main objective is the restructuring of the South region suffering from urban expansion and barriers such as roads or fallow land of the steel industry that have produced an unconnected patchwork landscape.

The approach of the SAUL project is transnational, therefore the following six regions are involved in the task: London, Saarland, the Rhine-Main Region, the Rhine-Ruhr Region, the Municipality of Amsterdam as well as the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The project partners form transnational planning teams involving regional practitioners and local players for each region to develop and implement a range of new urban landscape demonstration projects in which all partner regions will be actively involved. Furthermore, they will produce a good practice guide on planning throughout transnational partnerships for new urban landscapes to transfer knowledge and experience.

So far, no key results can be summarised, because the project has not yet been finalised.

Apart from the general public the main beneficiaries are regional and local authorities / municipalities, planning institutes, housing associations, landscape architects and designers as well as environmental organisations and NGOs.

As a transnational INTERREG III project, SAUL is implemented by a transnational project group consisting of the lead partner Groundwork UK in London in cooperation with seven further international partners. The different national partners in the participating countries range from local, regional and national administrations to planning institutes and alliances. Concerning financial resources the budget covers 16.3 million € for all projects, whereat fifty percent in each case are financed by the European Union and the other half by the participating partners.

SAUL is the continuation of the Interreg IIC pilot project, New Urban Landscapes. At present, it is implemented under the Community Initiative INTERREG IIIB to promote transnational co-operation on spatial planning. The whole budget is 16.3 million euros, of which 50% are financed by the European Union and the other half by the participating partners.

Ministère de l'Intérieur et de l'Aménagement du Territoire - Direction de l'Aménagement du Territoire
Luxembourg
Philippe Peters, tel. +352-4786921

24/06/2003

case

Urban Policy > Urban environment > Urban renewal

Brownfield development