Charting New Ground: Between Tactical Urbanism and Strategic Spatial Planning

ABSTRACT

In this paper, we highlight some of the challenges associated with strategic spatial planning, including long-time frames, limited control, translation and implementation gaps. We then explore how tactical urbanism might, in theory, address these s given its emphasis on small-scale, immediate, experimental action for long-term change. Our research with a Charter-based, principles-led, action-oriented network is then used to test these possibilities in practice. We conclude that tactical urbanism can be considered the antithesis of, complement to, or antidote depending on the disposition of planning authorities.

KEYWORDS:

• Strategic spatial planning
• tactical urbanism
• charters
• New Zealand

Acknowledgments

We would like to acknowledge funding support from New Zealand’s National Science Challenge: Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities and Lincoln University’s Open Access Support Fund.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Among these were Healthy Christchurch (https://www.healthychristchurch.org.nz/), the New Zealand Heritage Charter that the Christchurch City Council had recently become signatory to (https://icomos.org.nz/charters/), the Avon Otakaro Network (http://www.avonotakaronetwork.co.nz/about-us/charter.html), One Voice Te Reo Kotahi (OVTRK) (http://onevoicetereokotahi.blogspot.com/) and the Food Resilience Network (FRN) (https://ediblecanterbury.org.nz/).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Challenge [Building Better Homes, Towns and Cities].

Notes on contributors

Suzanne Vallance

Suzanne Vallance is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Management at Lincoln University. She draws upon a range of social scientific literature to better understand everyday urbanism, and the implications for planning theory and practice.

Sarah Edwards

Sarah Edwards is a Lecturer in the Department of Environmental Management at Lincoln University, New Zealand. Her research uses conceptual tools from science and technology studies (STS), more-than-human geographies, and social theory to gain critical insight into environmental issues. She has studied a range of environmental management contexts including food production systems, natural resource management, and urban regeneration projects.