In regulatory urban planning, there is an inherent tension between the need to provide legal certainty for developers and yet to allow flexibility to respond to changing urban needs. In recent years, the issue of flexibility is capturing growing attention among researchers: Planners everywhere face increasing complexity and uncertainty about urban futures.

This study is the first international comparative research to address the difference in approaches to flexibility adopted by regulatory planning systems, focusing on the rules for amending statutory (land use/zoning) plans. Three jurisdictions were selected: Victoria (Australia), Flanders (Belgium), and Poland. After comparing the legal frameworks, the empirical research quantifies the extent and roles of plan amendments; the time taken; and factors that obstruct or delay the plan change. The comparative findings offer insights about the differing practices in relation to balancing certainty and flexibility and opportunities for cross-learning.

Image credit:

Greater Winnipeg Proposed Zoning Regulations District Map (1947) by Manitoba Historical Maps is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0.