TRACK 2:  PLANNING AND LAW

Law as a catalyst for change; legal frameworks for planetary transformation and just transitions.

Chairs:

• Rachelle Alterman, Technion University, Israel
• Paula Vale de Paula, Instituto Superior Técnico - ULisboa
• Şence Türk, Istanbul Technical University (ITU)
• Fatma Ünsal, Mimar Sinan Fine Arts University, Istanbul

Spatial planning decisions rely on the authority derived from law. Property rights too (housing tenure, private versus public land and natural resources - are also grounded in law. So are the tools of implementation – such as land use categories, development density, or protection of land and buildings from sea level rise.  In times of major crises such as currently, the legal framework may need reshaping, but when it comes to law, this is a difficult matter. The role of research focusing on legal frameworks is therefore crucial.

Can the laws and institutions that govern planning meet the challenges posed by climate change, sustainability, demographic changes and increasing economic and political uncertainties? This track aims to provide a platform for sharing research on any topic that connects planning and law or planning and property rights. Example of topic areas : 

• Governance structures and procedures: How does planning law structure the relationships between central governmental control, local government, markets, and non-governmental organizations? Where is legitimacy derived from?
• Regulatory instruments of spatial planning and their implementation: Critical analysis of how well instruments work in times of crisis.
• regulation of agricultural land, open space and natural resources, heritage-building regulation,
• Theory of property rights: How to deal with tensions between public and private rights and responsibilities
• Financial aspects of land use regulation:  Land value capture on the one hand, and compensation rights (if any) on the other. 
• types of housing tenure and how they interact with the adequacy and fairness of housing supply and allocation.
• How can planning law contribute to the environment and climate change challenges:

Contributions may look at theoretical aspects or present empirical or legal analysis. The paper may relate to a single country or be comparative. Make sure that your abstract features the connection with legal aspects clear.

Keywords:  Spatial planning law, land use; land policy, property rights, housing regulations, development control, participation in planning procedures; governance of spatial planning; land-value capture, frugal use of land resources; climate mitigation and adaptation