Cities4PEDs Atlas_November 2021.pdf

Existing districts
1. District Development Management
Since the land ownership structure is more
complex in existing districts, the development
management will be different than the one of
newly built districts and can take many forms.
For example, a Special Purpose Company can
also be set up in existing districts. In Limerick,
there is a SPC, focused on the renovation of
heritage buildings, but also a new special unit
in the city. There are also other alternatives
imaginable in existing districts which are less
centrally structured and institutionalised as a
development company. For example, in BoTu
(Rotterdam) and in the Northern District (Brussels),
where a coordination platform is set up. This
is a more informal table and is not linked with
typical urban development, but connected to
the more fragmented land ownership. In BoTu
this table is less formalised than in Brussels, and
more driven by the community.
2. Collaboration with different actors
The collaboration between development
companies and departments of cities becomes
even more important in existing districts, as
land is not owned by one (or few) landowner(s),
and thus where there are many different
stakeholders present. Collaboration with these
different actors is necessary in order to align
and steer the transformation towards a PED.
This can be recognised as one of the main
ambition of the Coordination Platform in Brussels.
3. Participation with citizens
The involvement of different local communities
is key for the transition of existing districts, since
transforming neighbourhoods means more
than just working with technical solutions and
energy infrastructure and will only thoroughly
happen if the people living there are pulling the
same rope. Different elements which lead to
activation and mobilization of local stakeholders
can be highlighted:
a. Strong, long-term mobilising narratives
A consistent, shared narrative, meaning a
story told to mobilise citizens based on a
shared agenda, is a first example. In Eeklo,
there is the narrative that frames energy
as a local product with local added value,
local ownership and local participation,
overarching political parties and regardless
of ideology.
b. Knowledge bundling organisations
People who want to participate in the energy
transition often fail to find their way, as for
example the challenge of accessing existing
grants, etc. The need to inform people is not
just about raising awareness for the topic,
but also about giving access to tools and
information as well, in order to allow people
to participate autonomously and take action.
In Limerick for example, in the framework of
‘Urban Innovation Limerick’, the city opened
a one-stop-shop, where all information
about renovation is gathered at one central
place and council officials from different city
departments give advice to people wanting
to renovate.
Working document
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