Multidisciplinary Priority Areas
Given the high need for action and the City of Leipzig's limited financial and human resources, INSEK Leipzig 2030 emphasizes districts which are significant for the whole city and where attention needs to be paid to either tackling important developmental tasks or reducing structural disadvantages. The intention is to clearly prioritize geographical areas with special development needs, albeit without precluding action in other areas.
The Multidisciplinary Priority Areas are concluded from the District Strategy and the Priority Areas of the Sectoral Concepts. They are not tied to district boundaries and may indeed span multiple districts, such as in the case of green spaces, large business parks and research areas, although they may also be smaller.
Categories of Priority Areas
We distinguish between four categories of Priority Areas with city-wide and regional Significance:
Priority Areas with city-wide and regional Significance
An approach to urban development focusing on potential requires concentrating on Priority Areas which are significant for the city and the surrounding region. These were identified in INSEK Leipzig 2030 based on the Priority Areas designated in the Sectoral Plans and often have a specific focus, for example industry or green and open spaces.
A decidedly multidisciplinary approach is to be adopted in the development of Priority Areas. This is to be based on various types of masterplans or content-focused development plans such as the North Leipzig Plan or the strategy paper for Erweiterte Innenstadt (the wider city centre). Area-based management schemes make sense if urgently required and with a limited work assignment.
Development Areas
Given Leipzig's strong economic and population growth, the Development Areas shown can assume special tasks in the growth process of the city as a whole. We distinguish between two types.
The first of these is vacant sites suitable for the development of new neighbourhoods which are appropriate not only for housing but also for a multitude of complementary uses (education, green spaces, economic activity, etc.). They are all at least 10 hectares in size and are mostly located in the urban core, the rest being in the outer city.
The second type comprises Development Areas with an emphasis on research and innovation. Due to their current mixed use and the combination of innovative, research-based businesses and research facilities, these areas harbour potential for the development of innovative solutions geared to the Smart City concept. Able to play a special role in the process of growth, they require focused support and further development.
Priority Areas of integrated District Development
The Priority Areas already identified in the 2009 Urban Development Strategy were reviewed when compiling INSEK Leipzig 2030 with a view to updating the original classification. The proposed areas have a high need for socioeconomic action. However, as well as deficits, these areas also contain economic, urban-spatial and sociocultural potential as well as regarding open spaces. Compared to the 2009 strategy, Paunsdorf and Mockau have been added. Parts of West Leipzig have been removed from this category because the successful improvement achieved there with the help of urban and EU funding in for example Kleinzschocher and Altlindenau has been secured and maintained.
The high need for socioeconomic action compared to the rest of the city requires an integrated approach and measures in all fields of district development. The Priority Areas of integrated district development identified in INSEK form the basis for applications for regional, federal and EU funding. For these areas, district concepts are to be drawn up (ideally, irrespective of funding programmes) which form the basis for multidisciplinary action there. The use of neighbourhood management, urban regeneration management and artery management schemes is an indispensable part of municipal action in these areas.
In addition, in areas of high growth and competition for land, infrastructure needs to be adapted to meet growing needs, a balanced strategy for development within existing urban structures must be pursued, and attempts should be made to maximize the multiple use and multifunctionality of public buildings and open spaces.
Attention Areas
In contrast to the other Priority Areas, Attention Areas have a more isolated set of problems on a smaller scale.
Attention Areas require continuous monitoring. If underlying conditions deteriorate and problems overlap, they may be reclassified as Priority Areas of Integrated District Development. This is to be prevented. For this purpose, suitable sectoral funding and instruments as well as municipal funds can be selectively used and, if necessary, districtrelated management structures set up.
Nuanced action strategies for the individual Attention Areas are to be drawn up as required. They may be based on the action strategies for the district concerned contained in the District Strategy.