Micro-comprehensive planning in Baltic Sea urban local areas

Seven key community resources (physical, economic, biological, organisational, social, cultural and aesthetic resources) were studied in each of 22 common local urban townscape areas in 11 cities in the Baltic Sea region. A method was developed for multi-dimensional assessment of the sustainability status of the local communities according to the United Nations Habitat agenda. From an analysis of strong and weak points of the seven resources, a contextual micro-comprehensive plan for sustainable community development was outlined for each local area, comprising three components: universal, townscape-type-specific and place-specific strategies. The research also revealed unique key drivers for change for each area – either a specific problem or a vision for change. By addressing the key drivers, it is suggested that sustainable community development could be more efficiently introduced and implemented.