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International Centre for Local and Regional Development, Ireland (Government of Ireland, International Fund for Ireland, Ongoing)

The Institute is a founding partner of the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD), for which John Driscoll serves as Acting Director. This organization is an inter-university initiative to conduct research on urban management and spatial strategy issues in Ireland, in various member States of the European Union, and in the poorer developing countries. The National Institute of Regional and Spatial Analysis at the National Univeristy of Ireland/Maynooth, the Centre for Research on Property and Planning at the School of the Built Environment/University of Ulster, the Athlone Institute of Technology and the Centre for Cross Border Studies in Armagh have joined this collaborative transatlantic effort.

ICLRD focuses on building the capacity of regional and local authorities to proactively manage urban development in the context of the evolving relationships among central, regional, and local governments. It plays an active role in defining the contribution of urban economic development and urban improvements to foster the reunification, reconstruction, and reconciliation of local communities divided by social, economic, and political conflict. One of its central themes is to further peace and reconciliation between the nationalist and unionist communities.

Through joint research activities with Irish, European and American universities, the Institute is:

  • Developing programs that build the capacity of public officials, civil leaders, nongovernmental organizations and practitioners in Ireland, Eastern Europe, and other regions undergoing economic and social transitions or recovering from political upheaval.
  • Promoting research activities jointly with Irish, European and American universities to document successful programs and best practices that promote interregional cooperation, sustainable urban development, and the economic and social regeneration of urban areas including those that have been impacted by civil and political disturbance and external events.

ICLRD passed a major milestone on July 11, 2006 when it became a legally registered Company in Northern Ireland. The incorporation has allowed ICLRD to access funding from the International Fund for Ireland and to enter into discussions with the Department of Education which is administering core funding approved from the Irish Government. François Vigier is one of five ICLRD Company Directors, each representing the founding institutions. The Institute will continue to provide project management support including directing the ICLRD program (John Driscoll), providing support for the ICLRD web-site (Christa Lee-Chuvala) and developing collaborative web-based platforms for various project teams to coordinate their work (Daniel Tsai). The ICLRD work plan 2006/2007 lays out three major research programs that will involve the Institute’s staff:

• Cross-border Collaborative Strategies;
• Local Development in Cross-Border Micro-Regions;
• Interface Communities and Integrated Housing.

Each research program is funded to a level of Euro 75,000 and will involve applied research; outreach and workshops; and the development of training materials. It is anticipated that the Institute’s staff will be involved in each of the programs.

(John Driscoll, Francois Vigier, Daniel Tsai, Christa Lee-Chuvala)

World Heritage Site Preservation, Sintra, Portugal (Gaia Heritage, 2006)

In early 2006 Gaia-Heritage (Paris) was asked by the municipality of Sintra to prepare a strategy for the preservation of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, a 9.4 km2 area centered on the historic part of the city.  The site has a varied landscape of steep hills and forested areas, extending to a rugged coastal plain.  Due to its proximity to Lisbon, the region has grown by nearly 40% over the last ten years and poorly regulated development is threatening irreparable damage to the natural beauty of the site. As part of a multidisciplinary team consisting of an expert on the preservation of historic building and an expert on tourism, the Institute developed a regional growth management strategy consisting of:
  • The protection of the natural landscape and incentives for maintaining and expanding agricultural activities.
  • Development regulations to prevent suburban sprawl and ensure the compatibility of new construction in traditional villages.
  • Public improvements to increase the contribution of tourism in the regional economy.

These interventions would be financed by a new hotel room tax, a common occurrence in Europe.  At a rate of 4.5% its current annual yield would be over one million euros and is expected to increase substantially as the proposed tourism development strategy is implemented.

Metropolitan and Inter-communal Cooperation, Romania (USAID, 2005)

In 2005, the Government in Romania requested assistance from USAID to redefine its approach to implementing metropolitan development and spatial and metropolitan governance. Concurrently, the Romanian Chief Architects Association asked for assistance in identifying different approaches to metropolitan development that could be relevant in Romania. John Driscoll worked with the municipality and the association in July and September 2005.

In the last five years, the concept of metropolitan and inter-communal cooperation and the emergence of specific proposals have gained momentum in Romania. Initial efforts along these lines began in 2001 when John Driscoll, Mona Serageldin and Francois Vigier provided assistance to the Municipality of Oradea and the surrounding communes to formalize a metropolitian governance program and projects. Subsequently, other local governments have started similar initiatives and there is an emerging body of experience and research within in both the fields of urban and public administration on the topic in Romania.

The report for USAID,  the Municipality of Ploiesti and the Chief Architects Association is divided into two major topics: (a) an overview of metropolitan and inter-communal planning approaches in the U.S., the EU and Romania; and (b) a review of current initiatives in Ploiesti and recommendations for subsequent activities. For the purposes of the report, the Association requested that an emphasis be put on reviewing U.S. experiences that could be relevant to the Romanian context. More extensive work on the EU dimension of metropolitan planning and inter-communal cooperation has been undertaken separately by the Chief Architects Association and covered in related work by Romanian consultants working on metropolitan initiatives in Romania (see for example www.ihs-romania.ro).

(John Driscoll)

Rural-Urban Linkages in Romania (World Bank, 2003)

John Driscoll and Research Affiliates Liviu Ianasi and Andrei Luncan organized a local area development workshop in Zalu, Romania in January of 2003 in support of a World Bank study to identify the nature and extent of spatial and economic rural-urban linkages as well as the impact of distance and location on a variety of economic activities. The workshop provided important qualitative information from a local and regional perspective to complement the other components of the World Bank study that focus on a national level.

Municipal Finance Reform and Citizen Participation Initiatives, Bulgaria (USAID, 2002-2003)

In the Municipality of Svishtov, John Driscoll worked with municipal officials to design and implement a demand-led, community investment strategy that encourages management and financial partnerships among civic groups, the private sector and the municipality to address city-wide and neighborhood improvement priorities on an annual basis.

Evaluation of Co-Plan, Tirana, Albania (Dutch Government –2003)

Evaluation of the activities of a local NGO’s community-based activities in light of changing urban development trends in Tirana.  Co-Plan had developed from four young professionals in 1997 to an interdisciplinary team of more than 20 people by 2003.

(John Driscoll)

Christiansfeld Initiative: Denmark, South Africa, and USA. (Byfornyelse Danmark – 2002)

Established in the 18th century, Christiansfeld is the first Moravian settlement in Denmark and is a national heritage site.  Assistance was provided to the Municipality to prepare an integrated strategy for the preservation of its cultural assets and create linkages with other Moravian settlements for the preparation of a serial listing by UNESCO. 

(François Vigier, Mona Serageldin)

Urban Planning and Local Economic Development (UPLED), Romania. (USAID – 2000-2001)

Technical assistance was provided under a USAID contract to the cities of Oradea, Focsani, and Iasi to prepare city development strategies.  In Focsani, the city focused on a rehabilitation housing strategy and a framework for neighborhood-based citizen participation to set development priorities; in Iasi, a rehabilitation strategy was formulated for the central business district; in Oradea, a formal metropolitan-level cooperation framework was created between the city and seven abutting municipalities, the first in Romania.  http://api.oradea.ro

(François Vigier, Mona Serageldin, John Driscoll, Liviu Ianasi)

Szczecin Local Initiatives Program. Szczecin, Poland. (USAID - 1998-99)

Technical assistance was provided to the city of Szczecin to formalize a policy to encourage the renovation of privately owned housing and improve infrastructure.  In the Centrum downtown area, the focus was on the rehabilitation of historical buildings, and improvements to housing and commercial uses.

(Mona Serageldin)

Urban Land Management Project: Land regularization and shaping of informal development. Tirana, Albania. (The World Bank and USAID - 1994-98)

An inter-jurisdictional Land Management Task Force was created to prepare a regional plan for Tirana.  Technical assistance was provided to prepare the plan, regularize land tenure, service informal settlements, and institutional community-based approaches to urban management.

(John Driscoll, Mona Serageldin)

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