Urban sprawl is often portrayed as a (quasi-)natural process, as inevitable and taking place behind our backs. However, we claim that it is co-produced by government: Governments not only allow sprawl to happen, but often also incentivise and stimulate it, either knowingly or unintentionally. We substantiate this claim by comparing urban development and government institutions in Flanders (Belgium) to the Netherlands, two neighbouring territories, yet very different regarding this matter. Urban development in the Netherlands is considered orderly and compact, whereas in Flanders it is considered haphazard and sprawled. Urban planning, too, could not be more different. Strong national planning and an active local land policy characterise Dutch planning, while the opposite applies to Flanders. Although these images seem largely accurate, we argue that it is very particular government institutions in both countries that (help) create and reproduce the various degrees of urban sprawl.

Land-use planning can be seen as a way of controlling future development. As strategic planning defines new ambitions and rapidly changing circumstances call for implementation, more adaptable land-use planning is needed. In this paper different dimensions and characteristics of adaptable versus rigid planning are presented in a theoretical model. In this model, two dimensions of legal certainty are added to the state-of-the-art literature. Adaptability is not only defined by the material and procedural dimensions of land-use plans, also the legal and time dimensions are highly determinant. In a case study, the rigid planning system of the Flemish region is investigated by its determining characteristics. Based on empirical evidence from historical research, our paper shows how successive political decisions increased legal certainty for landowners leaving a small margin for policy change. Different dimensions and characteristics that could unlock the paralyzed system are assessed. In particular, the paramount importance of the time dimension in binding land-use plans and compensation schemes is highlighted. This case study demonstrates the need of embedding systematic review procedures and expiry dates in the planning system. Our findings are especially relevant for all planning systems that tend towards high legal certainty and protection of property rights.

This paper examines how different housing actors (social resilience cells and their partners, institutional structures, neighbourhood communities) in post-Katrina New Orleans have activated their social capital into institutional capital. It uses a critical up-to-date synthesis of social capital enriched by governance theories to investigate how new governance hybridities can be shaped in order to guide the city’s housing redevelopment. Furthermore, the paper seeks to evaluate the potential these governance hybridities have in redeveloping the city toward an egalitarian post-disaster city. By this is meant a city in which all affected neighbourhoods are recognized for their unique housing and social needs as well as for their distinct sociodemographic and physical characteristics, and where different social resilience cells are responsive to the needs of specific communities. The paper examines the unique rebuilding footprint and governance formation potential of eight social resilience cells in New Orleans. The results show that governance-improving fermentations were mostly brought to life by pro-equity and pro-comaterializing social resilience cells and their alliances at the local level during the late recovery years. Nonetheless, the new forms of governance are dominated by the pro-profit political economy paradigm. As such, the potential of the improved governance hybridities in facilitating egalitarian socio-spatial effects has remained moderate.

Given the increasing number of people seeking refuge in Belgium and across Europe more broadly, it is essential that governments assume responsibility for the integration of refugees into society. An essential aspect of this process is the provision of a durable path from shelter to housing. Choosing a place of residence, and the success in obtaining suitable housing conditions, are factors that significantly shape the integration process. In the context of refugee settlement in Belgium, however, asylum and migration policies to date have been predominantly focused on tackling temporary crises with little consideration paid to long-term integration and housing strategies. Due to separated policy competences (reception at the federal policy level, and housing at the regional level), and the absence of a sense of responsibility from both Flemish (regional) and federal government, voluntary organisations have developed significant roles at the local level in the transition from shelter to housing, and in further housing needs of recognised refugees. Achieving this transition is impeded by capacity problems, discrimination, lack of local social networks, and limited timeframes. Using the concept of path dependency as a theoretical starting point, this article employs qualitative methods to highlight the impact of both asylum policies and the spatial characteristics of reception centres on transitions towards more permanent housing. Recommendations for refugee accommodation are made to enhance the transition from shelter to housing. Finally, it addresses alternative housing projects that are conducive to social integration as well as to the transition of refugees to the regular housing market.

In Belgium, the relationship between individual property rights and collectively desired land use objectives has historically favoured landowners, leading to the country being described as a “landowners’ paradise”. However, this advantageous position for landowners presents a serious obstacle to controlling urban sprawl. In response to the European Union’s goal of limiting land take, Belgian authorities are now working to develop new policies that align with the no-net-land-take (NNLT) objective. This applies to the two main regions of the country: Flanders and Wallonia. Through the exploration of two cases in the Flemish city of Ghent, this contribution assesses how Flanders’ planning is designing strategies to meet the NNLT goals. A reflection on the similarities and differences with the policy approach in Wallonia to meet almost the same goals holds international relevance, as it demonstrates how two regions emerging from a common legal and planning framework can adopt substantially different strategies due to their respective contextual factors.