Dunkerque: Stimulating an integrated industrial and environment policy

Abstract:

Since 1991 the City of Dunkerque has established new procedures for the implementation of a combined industrial and environmental development policy. Innovation in the planning process has been achieved within a new organisational framework which brings together different players from municipal, state and regional authorities, the industrial community and environmental interest groups. the transformation of previously fragmented planning responsibilities is designed to stimulate new options for the regeneration and modernisation of a city that had been affected by the economic crisis in heavy industry. The Dunkerque example of a new partnership in urban, industrial, and environmental planning can be regarded as a good practice for the following reasons:

• consensus-based planning approach;
• acceptance of voluntary action beyond legal regulations;
• impact assessment before planning;
• collaboration in expertise and skills;
• improvement of communication between planners, local authorities, the industrial and the environmental sector.

Concept and aims

In the 1980s the medium-sized City of Dunkerque was hard hit by the economic recession in the two main industries, steel and shipbuilding, which had been regarded as the economic backbone of the city’s economic base. Worsening in economic development, rise in unemployment and the increased awareness of severe environmental impacts of industrial production contributed to the decision to work out a new industrial policy. Three aspects of the industrial situation had been outstanding: there was a low level of innovation and research, the negative image of the industrial location was dominated by health and environmental nuisances, and the environmental situation was affected by industrial pollution.

Two major initiatives were put forward to charge the status quo. Firstly, a major site for research and transfer of technology was to created, which should benefit from the existing know-how of industrial companies as well as from research at the newly-established University of the Coast. Secondly, an Industrial Environment Plan was to be drafted which would link the issues of industrial regeneration and environmental concerns. The new planning arrangement should bring together the political forces from urban district, regional and state government as well as the industrial actors and representatives of 'green' pressure groups. This arrangement had to be established against the traditional approach in French industrial policy at local level. Usually there is excessive parcelling of local municipal responsibilities within the same urban area and, in consequence, conflicting developments, inconsistencies in different policy goals and different tax arrangements can often be found. To overcome this hindrance to an integrated environmentally- oriented planning process for a specific local economic area it was necessary to agree on pre- emptive forward planning with regard to environmental impacts of the location of industry in order to defuse the conflict potential of business development and location.

A steering committee, composed of the municipal authority, the Dunkirk Urban Community, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Port Authority, the regional government of the Nord-Pas de Calais, state services, industrial employers and environmental organisations was therefore been set up. It was to find a common ground on the themes of the potentials of economic development and lay down clear targets for environmental conditions at the industrial sites. It was agreed that instead of sticking to regulations policy planning should preserve the principle of consensus-based agreements in order to achieve a coherent area planning and a sensible industrial location scheme.

The ultimate goal was to 'map' out an industrial area-wide joint development strategy agreed by all partners. This "metropolitan development master plan" included an urban development contract which binds all tiers of authority (urban district, state, and regional) in an overall development approach. It aspires to link the issues of economic development, urban development, social development and environmental concerns. The plan was then broken down into procedures for each theme in order to identify the individual conditions of success. A number of "charters" were drawn up which supplemented the legal regulations with voluntary rules. Each voluntary part of the agreement was adopted by the bodies of the partners concerned. This integrated approach to urban planning included the following schemes:

• a commercial charter, adopted by the local authorities and the Chamber of Commerce;
• a Port of Dunkerque Development Contract, signed by the City Council, the Port Authority, national government, the Region, authorities of the department, the Maritime and Commercial Union, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry;
• a local housing programme adopted by various city boroughs and central government;
• an environment master plan adopted by the Urban District, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Port Authority and various boroughs;
• a tourism development scheme;
• a university development scheme.

Implementation and impacts

Concerning the inclusion of environmental themes in industrial and urban planning, three major innovations were introduced in the practice of the Dunkerque development process:

1. A new installation procedure for companies was defined. Above and beyond the legal administrative regulations environmental issues in a project definition phase will be settled by the local authorities and the investor. The aim is to make both parties aware of their responsibilities as well as to limit problems caused by uncertainties. In addition, it is expected that such a joint procedure will cut down the time required for working out the process files. Although each industrial sector has its individual environmental problems and regulations, the new planning procedures aim to establish basic assessment of the environmental impacts. The new guideline principles are not designed to replace existing regulations or to constitute new regulations but to introduce a new application tool which facilitates the implementation of environmental protection guidelines for industrial installations by making the process more transparent and explicable. The new rules of application are oriented at the goals set by the steering committee. The guidelines deal with air emissions, water conservation, transport of hazardous materials, and industrial waste management.
2. A special feature of this policy is related to the location of high-risk industries. They are located in so-called 'vigilance zones' which on the one hand aim to provide the community with necessary information on the potential environmental impacts of the production and on the other hand help the investor to make the right choice of location. These zones are at least 800 metres from urban zones, or they are open to the public if this provision is not fulfilled. In practice the authorities and the companies are aiming to give priority to installation of lowest levels of risk near urban zones. From the companies' point of view the new policy of transparent information is also beneficial as they are better equipped to anticipate and prevent potential environmental dangers. In addition, this policy imposes a reciprocal obligation on the municipal authorities as they can not undertake any urban development that would exert constraints on the industrial site.
3. The third innovative feature of a combined industrial and environmental development strategy is the adoption of new principles of landscape management. In order to make the best possible use of industrial landscape in Dunkerque the development planners have decided to limit the number of planning principles for the whole area. This policy aims to avoid the imposition of planning obstacles in each individual zone as there is a common definition of future development for the whole industrial area. The definition for the whole area includes obligations like the use of the coast road, the access to immediate hinterland subkect to specific safety conditions, reclassification of industrial areas, definition of transitional zones along the fringes of urban areas, the creation of a green corridor, and the new direction signs and identification system with the industrial area.

Finally, an Environmental Master Plan was drawn up which includes a number of measures for successful implementation in setting up industry. In particular the following measures should to be mentioned:

• a real estate and property portfolio should help small and medium-sized enterprises to find suitable industrial and tertiary sector buildings;
• an atlas of zones and a business information service via a database make information on industrial zones available to planners and to Dunkerque Promotion, an agency of the local industrial and business community;
• harmonisation of local taxes has strengthened the industrial partners in their competition with other French sites;
• a monitoring system, initiated by the steering committee, is to ensure the application of the plan, settlement of disputes, adaptation of environmental issues, and adjustment of the strategy in the event of a change in conditions.

Financing and resources used

The cost for working out of the Industrial Environmental Scheme (studies, research etc.) totalled up to 1,2 million francs. The concept was jointly financed by the Dunkerque Urban Community, the state and the regional government.

Actors and structures

The policy of an integrated industrial environment and development process was worked out by a steering committee composed of the municipal authority, the Dunkirk Urban Community, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Port Authority, the regional government of Nord-Pas de Calais, state services, industrial employers and environmental organisations.

The steering committee has been kept in existence to ensure the policy is being applied, to settle problems and disputes, and to keep the plan attuned to possible changes. The steering committee is assisted in its work by the urban planning and development agency for the Dunkirk area, AGUR, and a joint industrial promotion agency, Dunkerque Promotion.

Evaluation and statements

The new quality of combined industrial and environmental planing in Dunkerque lies in the realistic approach. By setting clearer targets for economic development, the industrial investors benefits from the prevention of conflicts with urban planners and neighbourhoods. Transparency of potential environmental risks in industrial production helps a company to search for better technology and it is helpful to establish long-term construction in the industrial area as the public and the authorities are included in planning of new industrial installations. On the one hand this coherent rationale of a consensus-based industrial policy has forced a company to anticipate the environmental impact of its projects, on the other hand it prevents the sudden appearance of problems and conflicts by continuous communication with planning authorities. Therefore, the shared responsibility of industrial location policy is contributing to the creation of new industries and the survival of existing ones.

Source of Information

Urban Planning and Development Agency of the Flanders-Dunkirk Area 1993: Flanders-Dunkirk Area - Industrial Environmental Scheme - Summary, Dunkerque

Ministere de L`Environment, (ed.) 1996: French towns for sustainable development, Habitat II - June 1996, Paris

Federation Francaise des Agences d`Urbanisme, (ed.) 1996: Town planning and sustainable development. City Summit Istanbul June 1996, Paris

Personal Correspondence with the Director of the Agence D´Urbanisme et de Développement

Contact:

Cities:

Dunkerque :

The City of Dunkerque has a population of approximately 72,000 and is located on the northern coast of France near Calais. The city is a major seaport and fishing base. It is also a manufacturing and industrial centre, and products include ships, steel, refined petroleum, metal goods, textiles, and processed food. It is a historically well-known area as it was the site of the allied landing of 335,000 soldiers from Britain during World War II.

Population:

Project was added at 09.11.1998
Project was changed at 08.12.1998

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