Strengthening of Quality of Life through Improved Management of Urban Rural

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Regions and municipalities are the key actors in managing urban-rural interactions and their impacts on quality of life. The conditions for urban-rural interactions are dependent on developments both at micro (individual) and at macro (planning) levels. These parallel processes are of specific relevance in the key pillars of quality of life in urban-rural context: (1) residential preferences; (2) mobility & accessibility and (3) provision of services. Due to the lack of coherent policies, strategies and their implementation these developments may have negative impacts not only on sustainable regional development, but also on quality of life and thus to the attractiveness of the particular region. Due to this the individual perspective need to be systematically analyzed and introduced to the planning processes throughout the Baltic Sea Region (BSR). Project aims to improve the management of quality of life in urban-rural planning. The project evaluates potentials for more sustainable urban-rural interactions within the BSR. Project produces and implements new working methods and pilot models to improve the management of quality of life that correspond to the needs of people living in the BSR. The project focuses on individual preferences and future potentials with regard to the three key pillars. The project analyses the preferences of different population segments and stakeholder groups in urban-rural areas and compare them to the existing policies and practices. Based on these results project defines and implements pilot actions in partner city-regions. Project develops new planning tools and introduces an integrated management approach to urban-rural interactions. To benefit also other city-regions, project produces a training package and a set of policy and practice recommendations for regional and national level. The project consortium consists of 15 partners from 9 BSR countries. The project Lead Partner is Union of the Baltic Cities (UBC). The expertise organisation Nordic Centre for Spatial Development (Nordregio) will carry out the evaluation of the potentials and suggestions of pilot actions. The Centre for Environmental Technologies and Administration (ECAT-Lithuania) will coordinate the implementation of pilot actions and development of the management of urban-rural interactions. The project consortium with local and regional partners covers widely the BSR. The associated partners represent the relevant transnational, national and regional level authorities and organisations.

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