Session 1 - Montefiore

growth as mentioned in Chapter 1. Rather a variety
of other powerful factors drive the development
of the modern city, including individual housing
preferences, increased mobility, commercial
investment decisions, and the coherence and
effectiveness of land use policies at all levels.
All available evidence demonstrates conclusively
that urban sprawl has accompanied the growth of
urban areas across Europe over the past 50 years.
This is shown from a recent European perspective
(Map 1). The areas with the most visible impacts
of urban sprawl are in countries or regions with
high population density and economic activity
(Belgium, the Netherlands, southern and western
Germany, northern Italy, the Paris region) and/or
rapid economic growth (Ireland, Portugal, eastern
Germany, the Madrid region). Sprawl is particularly
evident where countries or regions have benefited
from EU regional policies. New development
patterns can also be observed, around smaller
towns or in the countryside, along transportation
The extent of urban sprawl in Europe
corridors, and along many parts of the coast usually
connected to river valleys. The latter is exemplified
by the so-called 'inverse T' of urban sprawl along
the Rhône valley down to the Mediterranean coast
(Map 2).
Hot spots of urban sprawl are also common along
already highly populated coastal strips, such as in
the case of Spain where the artificial areas may cover
up to 50 % of the total land area (Map 3). This is
doubly worrying given the known vulnerability of
coastal ecosystems and because the Mediterranean
region is classified as one of 34 biodiversity hotspots
in the world.
Sprawl may also follow from the expected rapid
economic development in many parts of the new
Member States, as internal economic dynamism,
greater access to EU markets, and Cohesion Fund
and Structural Funds investments drive economies.
The 2004 accession is too recent to permit full
understanding of the potential impacts of urban
Map 2 Urban sprawl along the Rhône corridor: south of France (1990–2000)
Source: EEA.
Toulouse
Barcelona
Montpellier
Marseille
Lyon
0 50 100 km
Sprawl alongside
transport axes and
the coastline
Urban and infrastructure
development
1 to 5 %
5 to 10 %
More than 10 %
Urban zones more than
50 000 people in 1990
Green background index
0 to 60 %
61 to 100 %
Transportation network
Highway and main roads
Urban sprawl in Europe 9