- Struggle for a new economic Agenda in urban Planning in Poland    192 kb by    Kaczorowska-Fudala, Anna | anna@space.pl    Short Outline This paper refers to problems of spatial and social polarization in Polish cities. Study cases present the ideas of rethinking cities from a new economic perspective and proper coordinated strategic planning. Abstract Struggle for New Economic Agenda in Urban Planning in Poland. Democratic and free market economic changes in Poland since 1989 have transformed all aspects of Polish society. Polish cities face enormous problems as a result of dynamic restructuring. The new economic forces have resulted in increased overall decline of cities, spatial and social polarization. However, ongoing problems:endorsing sprawl, crime, pollution, unemployment, continue to remain significant challenges there is a need of rethinking cities from a new economic perspective. In the current environment of rapid global change the role of the cities become determinant. New paradigm of development in ''network society'' (Re: Castells M.: The Information Age, Oxford 1998) is no longer based on hierarchically organized and territorially arranged economic-spatial and administrative planning but on a new ''borderless'' network of economy and society. Polish government still has to learn to adapt to this situation and evolution and to find its place in the new world order. The transition that has allowed Polish cities and regions to adopt good strategic local or regional planning is a positive outcome. Yet there is a need that such strategic planning track investments and identify the most appropriate locations for jobs, residences and transportation systems. The necessities and aspirations of citizens become more clearer. The capacity like income, education, employment can be influenced by involving actors in the decision-making process. Planning can result in more extensive consensus and credibility. According to Meine Pieter van Dijk (Urban management , Urbancity 2006) successful development strategies require good urban management (i.e. urban regeneration projects in Wrocław). Decentralization in developing countries may bring no success when no attention is paid to proper coordinated strategic planning on a healthy financial basis with the lowest social, economic and environmental costs. Keywords economic agenda Case Study presented on the ISOCARP Congress 2007: Urban Trialogues   Click to open the full paper as pdf document   Click to send an email to the author(s) of this paper