Spatial Development Concept for Valais

The Cantonal Council of Valais has initiated the «Spatial Development 2020» project in order to secure the implementation of key reforms. In particular, the Council is aiming to draft a sustainable, coherent and balanced spatial development policy to increase the prosperity of Valais’ residents.

To provide a basis for the new policy, cantonal officials commissioned the drafting of a cantonal spatial development concept. This concept defines the desired spatial development and serves as a conceptual basis for the revision of the cantonal development plan. EBP helped the canton to organise an appropriate planning process and also made various substantive contributions to the resulting concept.

The spatial concept consists of a map and various strategies. The map offers a representation of the targeted spatial structure. The strategies outline the principles the canton uses to guide its development activities. In particular, the strategies include statements relating to the following topics: housing, transport and mobility, nature, landscape, agriculture, tourism and recreation, maintenance and infrastructure.

In addition to helping to draft the concept, EBP also helped the canton to organise the relevant decision-making processes within the cantonal administration and at the level of the municipalities. Several workshops were arranged for the cantonal administration and two full-day discussion events were held for the regions of Upper Valais and Lower Valais.