Concepts and Measures for Village Renewal - German experiences Dr. Ralf Nolten Institute for Food and Resource Economic

1. Concepts and Measures for Village Renewal - German experiencesDr. Ralf NoltenInstitute for Food and Resource Economics, University of Bonn 1. “Village Renewal“ - a conceptual explanation 2. The Change of Rural Life 3. Village Renewal - an instrument of rural development 4. Village Renewal - a citizen-friendly planning procedure? 5. Conclusions

2. „Village“ - what is it? resettlement hamlet village township Feasable criterions of definition: - number of living units, number of inhabitants - infrastructural equipment - site in space Problems: - historical letter of town appointment small settlements - Incorporation changes/camouflages functional relationships - no space-planning unit - individual evidence of definition and image-loaded

3. residence „village“ Available living units technical infrastructure individual character Individual possibi- lities of development Demands on the „village“ jobs Communal living minimum of economic structure high recreational value healthy environment social infrastructure

4. Change of Rural Life - I In the last twenty years migration of young families and labourers caused increasing numbers of residents in rural areas This positive tendency lasts on: a disadvantage for metropolitan areas The local and regional labour markets are very different; The economic structure is not focussing on regional markets. The number of employed in agriculture differs a lot; The service sector is increasing rapidly. A lot of the employed persons are commuters. Targets lay mostly in the surrounding; only a few percent commute for more than 1 h per way. The regional identity and regional social relationships get more and more Importance. Rural lifestyles have the range as urban ones; traditional patterns of values are a little bit more important at the countryside.

5. Change of Rural Life - II The overall knowledge about each other among village people makes way for a more group or segment-oriented knowledge. Social relationships in the village are individual and differ concerning the phases of life. Rural activities are more and more voluntary leisure-time activities. Clubs support permanent structures of communication across all demographic structures. The purposes of clubs are manyfold refering to individual demands. Kindergardens and elementary schools have a strong impact on the local communication networks. Informal groups are of increasing importance.

6. Change of Rural Life - III The elder people have vision of life beyond traditional rural settings of withdrawal, decline of power, simplicity and modesty. Up to now only in a few cases new public areas for elder people were created; a share of old ones reacts with the withdrawal to privat sphere. Regional orientation is a backbone for the rural youth in the economic as well as in the social field; In western parts of Germany facilities to create an ownstanding cultural setting are often missing; in the East regional development and specific youth culture are coming up. Neighbourhood is no longer normative or functionally caused but based on voluntary decisions. As more inhabitants, as larger is the share of them without linkage to the local communication networks.

7. What does it mean „renewal? Reconstruction of destroyed settlements? Renovation of structural fabric and streets? Assignment of new functions? Development for ful- filling the functions?

8. Instruments of Village Development Competition of villages Village Renewal Construction planning Investment program for Communities Programme for road construction State driven programmes for rural development Landscape Planning Improvement of regio- nal economic structur Construction of water- courses + trails Land consolidation LEADER + Agricultural develop- ment planning Preservation of cultural heritage

9. The development of the Village Renewal 1820 Landscape preservation movement in Bavaria 1975 Federal Spacial Planning Act 1976 § 37 Landconsolidation Act mentions „village renewal“ as a public task 1977 Part of the Federal investment programme Ownstandig part of Common Task „agricultural structure“ 1984 1985 Co-financing by EU starts with VO 797/85 1987 New element „Greening of villages“ 1991 Programmes in the new German States 1998 New element „utilization of former agricultural buildings“

10. The programme „Village Renewal“ today Alle German states have their own village renewal programme The „Basic agreements for promotion of village renewal and of activities of forestal and agricultural enterprises for utilization of their buildings“ of the Common Task „Agricultural structure“ are binding upon all. EU-cofinancing-share for the old states are by Art. 33 of EU-reg 1257/99 50 %, in the new states by EU-reg. 1260/99 75%. The national financing quota is fixed by 60:40 between Fed. State:States New grants 2003 : - 8.626 projects with a volume of 790 Mio. € - 96 Mio. € GAK, 164 Mio. € EAGFL, other public 70 Mio. € 459 Mio. € privates Subsidies in detail: * Private persons: 30 % of specific expenditures (former GDR: 40 %), max. 20.000 €, with utilization of buildings 50.000 € pro Jahr, max. 100.000 € within 3 years * Municipals: 50 % subsidies (former GDR0 %)

11. Objectives of village renewal Conservation and development of the historically grown village structure Conservation of regionally typical buildings and their appropriate use Improvement of the circumstances of work, living and recreation Conservation and improvement of the basic infrastructure Improvement of the conditions for agriculture, handcraft, services Improved ecological situation and embeddment of the villages Stimulating communal life Stimulating initiatives of one‘ own in social, cultural and economic fields

12. Instruments of village renewal Improvement of inner-village traffic situations Warding off floods and renewal of lakes and rivers Shaping of places and parks Greening of the outskirts of the village Shaping actual/ former used farm or forestal buildings with the shape of the village dominating character including gardens etc. Demolition of not usable agricultural buildings New utilization of former agricultural buildings (Re-) construction of agricultural buildings for common use

13. Development Planning Process Status-quo Description Analyse of strength and weak points Definition of a model Concept of short-, mid- and long-running aims Decision about priorities Discussion and choice of variables Measures set into place

14. Reticule Status quo How do we wish it? 1 2 What is hindering us? What shall be done? 3 4

15. Actors of Village Development Public associations Community County State Business Investors Planner Privates

16. The Implementation of Village Renewal External groups f.e. associations Citizenship Voting behavior in polls, personal needs, abilities, wishes and expectations Characteristics of the programme Formal criterions, Percentages of support, Lists of supported activities Description of problems Definition of objectives Implemen- tation Effect Implementing authorities, planners Mediation, actions Politics State Ministry, experts

17. Is there a fair debate concerning all justified interests of inhabitants and of the public needs?

18. The Working -Group as a mediator ... Authority for Land Consolidation/ Rural Development Mayor, Lokal Authority Working-group Community Council ... Is it enabled? Planner Inhabitants

19. Communication with citizens Workingroup Meetings Town meetings Forms of Communication Surveys, complaints box Round tables Public activities Planning cells Handouts, showcases workshops Village seminars

20. Demands on advisors and planners Knowledge of rural circumstances of life and processes of change Ability to speak le language of the rurals Competence in use of media Ability to analize the social structres in rural areas Identifying and Handling different interests Rejection of own motives Create an atmosphere of discussion and brain storming Prepare information and supporting services Steering and organizing of planning procedures

21. Village Renewal – a citizen-driven planning? Guidelines – given by authorities - rule the most important constrains of village renewal Village renewal – also in impementation still steared by „top-down“ Instead planning by urban, technocratic experts planning by the citizens Instruments of participatoral planning are often informal, but not obligatory The participatoral process has to reach all inhabitants Mediation and other participatory forms have to be trained The process of village renewal gets more and more the character of a LA 21 process

22. Conclusions • The Village Renewal Programme is not the only • instrument for development of rural settlements • Use and aims are oriented on functions of the villages • Therefore the empowerment of self-steared develop-ment and building of local infrastructure has to be stressed instead of taking care for the village shape • Well-trained mediators are needed. • Even Village Renewal got the character of an „bottom-up“-approach it is still strongly influenced by external bodies. • In the consequence doubts concerning of effectivness and efficiency remain

23. But: Who accepts, that complete regions are not part of economic development, will not change anything by village renewal! Pretty houses, nice places without social infrastructure in regions without any employment opportunities will not become lively and lifeworth villages!