Post on 24-Jun-2020
The Urban Development Network
CITY OF GHENT
Ghent
1-2 December 2016
Peer-review workshop
Integrated Sustainable Urban Development Strategies
The city at a glance
Ghent is a “pocket sized metropolis”, combining the intimacy of a small city with
the openness of a metropolis (Charles Landry, 2011)
Facts & figures
500,000 inhabitants in metropolitan area
257,709 inhabitants in Ghent
156 different nationalities
74,000 students
15,643 ha surface
170,249 jobs
Job ratio 104.8%
Unemployment: 12.8%
25 neighbourhoods
Ghent, city with a diversifying population
• The population is on the rise
since 1999 (12% increase,
after decreasing for 19
years).
• Ghent has a relatively young
population compared to the
rest of Flanders, though
almost 1 out of 3 inhabitants
is 55 or older.
• The city is a melting pot of
156 different nationalities.
Ghent is ethnically and
culturally becoming
more and more
diversified with 19%
belonging to an ethno-
cultural minority
Ghent, city of innovation and creativity
• Largest student city of
Flanders (70.000 students)
• The ‘Academic Ranking of
World Universities’ puts
Ghent University as
Belgium’s top-institution
• 13 research centers of world
class (e.g. the Flemish
Institute for Biotechnology).
• The creative economy counts
more than 500 creative and
innovative enterprises and
more than 6,000 workplaces.
Ghent BC (Big in
Creativity) is a network
of researchers,
entrepreneurs and
government stimulating
the knowledge
economy.
Ghent, city of culture and tourism
• Ghent is host of the
International Film Fest
• Ghent is a UNESCO City of
Music and has a wild range
of musical events.
• The ten-day Ghent
Festivities is the largest
European city festival.
• Ghent is 3rd in the National
Geographic Traveler
Magazine ranking of
authentic destinations.
Ghent is a big cocktail
of styles in art, design,
architecture and music.
History is gracefully
connected to modern
design and art.
Ghent, city of future-oriented businesses
• 170,249 jobs
• Industry plays an important
role in local employment and
knowledge networks: OCAS,
CRM, SIM, …
• An innovative economy (bio-
energy, biotechnology, ICT)
with strong patent position
• Room for new projects:
more than 1,000 acres
assigned to Logistics,
Knowledge Economy and
Services
The economic structure
is determined by the
Port of Ghent, wich is
providing almost
30,000 direct and
40,000 indirect jobs.
•That the European Commission recognizes cities as a true level of governance.
•External constructive feedback on the ISUD Ghent
•Discussing several topics
•Best practices
•Networking
Your expectations from the Peer-Review Workshop
Three questions you would like peers to discuss
• How to deal with ‘keys’ that are closely
guarded by regional or national authorities?
• How to improve the quality of citizen
participation?
• How to cope with stakeholders with different
expectations?
3
Experience in ISUDS
V. The Outward
• ERDF 2000 – 2006:
• Management: city of Ghent, budget 10 milion euro
• Focus on urban renewal projects in the 19th century belt: Pre-port, Oxygen for the Brugse Poort, Bridges to Rabot
• ERDF 2007 – 2013 & 2014 - 2020
• Management Flemish Region, 4 priorities
• PRIORY AXE 4: Urban renewal
• Flemish Urban Renewal Fund (2002 – 2016 – successful in 10 calls)
• Flemish Cities Fund: long-range plans (1997 – 2016)
• Federal Urban Policy (2000 – 2014)
6
Building the evidence base for the strategy
• 2003: New departemental structure.
• Introduction department of general services
• New offices: urban policy, data & monitoring,…
• 2011 – 2012: Route towards a new legislature:
• Participation: the opinion of citizens and
neighbourhood programmes
• Transversal city analysis: state of the art, image,
diversity, public space, green spaces, housing, health,
culture, sports, …
• Evaluation of the city policy 2006 – 2012
• Calculation of the financial equilibrium and possibilities
Building the evidence base for the strategy
• 2013:
• New board of Mayor and Deputy Mayors > new
mission 2030 and strategy
• Translate strategy into operational objectives
• Linking activities & projects to operational objectives
• Indicators are formulated at every level of the strategic
cascade for evaluation purposes,
• Multi-annual plan 2014 – 2019 & budget 2014
approved
• 2014:
• Integration in city managers office
• Start integrated strategy & strategic coördination • .
7
Vision and objectives
GHENT: CITY WITH A MISSION
Ghent is an open, inclusive, smart and child-friendly city. It
connects all forces to develop the city into a lasting and livable
whole and in doing so shapes the future.
Ghent wants to be a creative forerunner in the transition
towards a climate-neutral city. We are building an eco-friendly
and diversified economy that brings welfare for all.
By doing so, we develop a community of responsible citizens
who can develop themselves freely and who can count on the
necessary support.
8
An
industrialized
city (18th -
19th century)
A medieval
metropolis
(11th – 14th
century
Vision and objectives
Strategic Cascade
• 9 main strategic goals
• 40 strategic goals
• Operational goals en project operational goals
• Activities
• Projects
• Actions
8
International policy
Ghent puts emphasis on
international cooperation
and the exchange of
experience and
know-how.
“No smart city without smart citizens”
“Smart city ecosystem: connect citizens”
Smart cities – smart citizens
• Assessment framework
• Neighbourhood managers
• Programme directors
• Sogent: Urban development company
• Public Private Partnership:
• Enhance services
• Strategic funding
• Use of temporary empty public space
• Crowd funding • Sustainable assessment tool
Policy tools 10
Needs &
ideas
Strategic Multi-annual plan 2014-2019
Ambition EFRO
Doelstelling 2
Ambition EFRO Interreg
Ambition Horizon 2020
Ambition Erasmus +
PROJECT
PROJECT
PROJECT
Grants
ERDF 2000 – 2006 Ghent, Urban zone in difficulty
• 14% of the Ghent area - part of the 19th century belt
• Budget: ERDF 10 mio euro –Total 50 mio euro
• Priorities: Economical recorvery, liveability
• Focus Urban Renewal
• Management: Flemish Regio
• Ghent: Project selection, steering Committee (chairman Mayor)
• Lack of experience, too detailed OP, small area, division of powers (Flemish Regio – Ghent) not always clear
ERDF 2007 - 2013
• Managementauthority: Flemish Region
• Antenna:
– provincial : 5
– urban 2: Antwerp & Ghent (Strategic Funding)
• Budget: 200 mio euro
• Innovation & knowledge,
• SMI
• spatial-economic factors,
• urban development
ERDF 2007 - 2013
• P1 – P3: Prov of EF: 1% of 150 mio €
• Ghent: P1 – P3: Ghent 3D, Business patrks (The Loop, UCO Maïsstraat, Xiedauwkaai): 13 mio €
• P4: – 13 cities
– Budget: 50 mio € - Ghent: 11 mio €
• Old Docks (Quay renovation)
• KOBRA
• Neighborhood railway station
ERDF 2014 - 2020
• MA: Flemish Region
• Antenna: 5 provincial & 2urban
• Budget: 173,5 mio euro
1. Innovation : 69,5 mio €
2. SMI: 35 mio €
3. Carbon low economy 45 €
4. Urban development: 17 euro € (Antwerp 2/3 – Ghent 1/3)
• P1 – P3:
– 3 ITI’s:
– 70 mio euro -40% of the budget
ERDF 2014 - 2020
• Gent in P1 – P3: – (Capture, Bio Base, Gentrepreneur,
Ministrey of Makers, Bycicle highways)
– Succesrate: 10 mio €
• Sustainable urban development
– SD 1: Climate change – green-blue network
– SD 2: Re use industrial sites/building
– SD 3: Neighborhoods in transition
EFRDF 2014 2020
• Screening multi-annual plan:
• longlist
• matrix
• Shortlist
• Focus P4:
– SD1: The Old Docks:
– SD 2: Wintercircus, En route (transformation of an old poluted industrial laundrysite)
– SD 3: reallocation churches in 3 neighborhoods
Criteria for a shortlist
1. Focus on themes & priorities of grant programmes &
upcoming calls
2. Innovative on a (EU) level
3. Possible to submit & realise within the call’s time frame
4. Enough belief in the added value of (transnational)
cooperation and enough commitment in the departments
concerned to prepare the proposal and to implement it
when approved
5. If relevant -> interest shown by external partners or
(foreign) cities
• The most important building block of a Smart City: the Smart
Citizen
• Smart Cities need Smart Citizens to be truly inclusive, innovative and sustainable.
Smart Citizen
Question for round table 1
Question 1: How to deal with ‘keys’ that are closely guarded by regional or national authorities?
Why: Top down approach Flemish Region. Urban policy less important (ERDF 2014 - 2020: 8% ERDF 2007-2013: 25%), Gold plating: MS introduce rules which are more prescriptive than what is mentioned in EU rules & regulations, Extra administrative burden
What has been done: Strategic Funding acts as a competence centre for ‘Group Ghent’: looking for opportunities, matching, tailor made support
What worked: Realistic & audit proof projects (goals, timing, budget,…)
What did not work: Success rate in Horizon 2020 & Interreg is uncertain. Competition between (regional/European) cities
Question for round table 2
Question 2: How to improve the quality of citizen participation?
Why: The most important building block of a smart city: the smart citizen, Smart cities need smart citizens to be truly inclusive, innovative & sustainable
What has been done: A special service ‘Policy participation’ & ‘Integrated Urban Development’ sets up co-operation with citizens
What worked: Temporary use of vacant places & buildings, crowdfunding, Bicycle streets, Living streets, concept study for the neighbourhood Muide – Meulestede
What did not work: Organisational shift is necessary, there are often barriers within the government (suspicion, no rules or regulations,…)
Question for round table 3
Question 3: How to cope with professional stakeholders with different expectations?
Why: Urban development projects are complex, have a long-term horizon, expectations & interests are often incompatible,…
What has been done: The city of Ghent acts as a director
What worked: Public private partnership, capacity building public services & introducing new instruments (e.g. Urban development company, Program directors, Policy participation, quality board, …),
What did not work: Priorities are changing, to maintain long-term engagement is a hard job. Trial & error, regulations PPS don’t fit with reality, discussions with the Flemish region are often tough.
Thank you for your attention.