Author(s)

J. L. Miralles i Garcia

Abstract

The Valencian Community is located in the Spanish Mediterranean area. At present the whole Spanish Mediterranean is living through a process greatly accelerated by urban development. This process is generated, fundamentally, by the demand for housing by the population of Europe’s central and northern areas in a situation of global economy. These processes suppose an irreversible transformation of the territory which is not always justified. The dysfunctions produced in these processes forced the regional Valencian government to reform, in depth, all the legislation in matters dictating new laws: Soil for non urbanize Law of 2004, Law of regional planning and protection of the landscape of 2004 and Urban development Valencian Law of 2005. This legislative wide and extensive set introduces in to urban development planning the whole set of procedures orientated to the environmental sustainability. The regulation establishes novel measurements as, amongst others, the indicators of sustainability, the quotas of sustainability to pay when the sustainability limits are exceeded, the Fund of Territorial Equity, the programs and projects for the sustainability and the quality of life, the transfer to the administration of an equal surface magnitude of natural reserve as that of any new urbanization, and the obligation of landscape studies. In spite of all this it continues without approaching an administrative reform that generates a system of management that really guarantees the protection of the natural resources in the short and long term. The present text analyzes the innovative elements that interfere for the sustainability of the urban development planning and it also indicates the still not solved aspects. Keywords: sustainable development, urban planning, natural resource management, environmental legislation and policy.

Keywords

sustainable development, urban planning, natural resource management, environmental legislation and policy.