An innovative Strategic Spatial Planning Model: The Municipal Unity of Thermi (Thessaloniki-Greece) case study

Figures & data

Figure 1. The study area.

Source: Google Earth Pro (2017), edited by the authors.

Figure 2. The Strategic Spatial Planning Model.

Table 1. Hax and Majluf model vs. proposed spatial model

Hax and Majluf model	Proposed spatial model
Step 1: Vision of the organization, managerial infrastructure, corporate culture and management of key personnel	Step 1: Strategy Formulation at municipal level
Step 2: Strategic posture and planning guidelines	Step 2: Strategic posture and guidelines
Step 3: Mission of the business	Step 3: Mission at community level
Step 5: Formulation of functional strategy and broad action programs	Step 4: Strategy Components at community level
Step 6: Consolidation of business and functional strategies, portfolio management and assignment of resource allocation priorities	Step 5: Strategic Development Action Programs
Step 8: Definition and evaluation of specific action programs at the functional level	Step 6: Specific Development Action Programs
Step 8: Definition and evaluation of specific action programs at the functional level	Step 7: Assessment and Ranking of Action Programs

Table 2. PEST analysis at municipal level

Political environment	Economic environment
Significant position & dynamic	Important productive/economic base
Suburban development pole	Socioeconomic crisis impact
Territorial cohesion enhancement	Agricultural sector fall
Interdependency between city center and suburb	Secondary and tertiary production sector rise
Local character promotion	Activity reduction & unemployment
Industrial development & tourism	Local production units operation
Rational spatial planning	Non-dependence on tourism
Infrastructure improvement	Residential centers development
Social environment	Technological environment
Population growth & equal allocation	Interaction with Thessaloniki city center
Productive ages high percentage & youth ages low percentage	Education, research & technology institutions
Unemployment rapid increase	Settlements redevelopment projects
Social welfare disturbance	Developing infrastructure networks
Important social & cultural work	Interactive services & innovation
Research & technology institutions	Technology development prospects
Natural beauty promotion & touristic product development	Trade and entrepreneurship enhancement

Table 3. SWOT analysis at municipal level

(S)–Strengths	(W)–Weaknesses
Strategic position & local climate	Intense urban sprawl
Rich natural environment	Disperse industrial development
Interdependence with Thessaloniki city center	Environmental resources overexploitation
Important road network	Agricultural sector fall
Industrial development & tertiary production sector rise	Economic dependence on local industries & trade
Traditional agricultural base	Technical infrastructure requirements
Infrastructure & services adequacy	Traffic conjunction & noise
Concentration on technology	Unorganized Spatial Planning
Important social & cultural action	Socioeconomic disturbances
(O)–Opportunities	(T)–Threats
Geographical position exploitation	Wider uncertainty climate
Proximity to Thessaloniki city center	Current socioeconomic crisis
Natural beauty projection	Local welfare disturbance
Local production empowerment	Environmental resources overcharge
Natural resources protection	Spatial planning & development issues
Road network exploitation	Development programs/actions financing delays
Financing from EU programs	Road network degradation
Research & technology institutions	Agricultural production decline
(S)–Strengths	(W)–Weaknesses
Strategic position & local climate	Intense urban sprawl
Rich natural environment	Disperse industrial development
Interdependence with Thessaloniki city center	Environmental resources overexploitation
Important road network	Agricultural sector fall
Industrial development & tertiary production sector rise	Economic dependence on local industries & trade
Traditional agricultural base	Technical infrastructure requirements
Infrastructure & services adequacy	Traffic conjunction & noise
Concentration on technology	Unorganized Spatial Planning
Important social & cultural action	Socioeconomic disturbances
(O)–Opportunities	(T)–Threats
Geographical position exploitation	Wider uncertainty climate
Proximity to Thessaloniki city center	Current socioeconomic crisis
Natural beauty projection	Local welfare disturbance
Local production empowerment	Environmental resources overcharge
Natural resources protection	Spatial planning & development issues
Road network exploitation	Development programs/actions financing delays
Financing from EU programs	Road network degradation
Research & technology institutions	Agricultural production decline

Table 4. Strategic Development Action Programs as well as the Specific Development Action Programs (SDAPs) of Thermi Municipal Unity

Strategic Development Action Programs	Specific Development Action Programs (SDAPs)
1. Redevelopment of spatial planning framework for the major strategic issues confrontation	1. Institutionalization of mixed suburban zones with strict urban regulations in intense urban sprawl areas, 2. Determination of organized productive zones for concentration of existent or potential production units, 3. Enhancement of suburban environment attractiveness with low-price housing options, high living standard and activity or employment opportunities
2. Creation of compact suburban environment in combination with the rich natural environment
3. Intensive protection and sustainable utilization of the environment and natural resources	4. Determination of specific environmental protection areas in central parts of Anthemountas Valley, 5. Installation of local facilities of monitoring and natural resources quality and atmospheric pollution control
4. Improvement and empowerment of administration/management system of the study area	6. Upgrade of the Community Authorities role and jurisdiction for better local administration/management, 7. Formulation of multicenter administration/management system with functional and administrative independence to the individual spatial unities
5. Enhancement of business and production dynamic for the local economy revitalization	8. Provision of motivations/opportunities for local entrepreneurship and productivity enhancement, 9. Concentration on the increase of productivity and business activity levels through modern and sustainable practices, 10. Utilization of EU or national financing programs in targeted development actions
6. Improvement, upgrade and extension of road and technical infrastructure in the study area	11. Establishment of integrated transport framework for road infrastructure upgrade and soft means of transport promotion, 12. Upgrade and extension of technical infrastructure in the spatial unities and investigation of renewable energies exploitation possibilities
7. Restructuring and improvement of services towards the citizens via technology and innovation	13. Creation of integrated and technologically evolving system of services provision, 14. Qualitative and functional upgrade of services network through the promotion and introduction of cutting-edge technology and innovative practices
8. Development and utilization of the education, research and technology institutions in the study area	15. Pilot application of cooperation framework between the local community and the education, research and technology institutions, 16. Utilization of the profile and capacity of the education, research and technology institutions for the broader projection of the study area
9. Promotion and empowerment of local cultural and touristic product with wider geographical range	17. Promotion of cultural actions in conjunction with the natural environment prospects, 18. Promotion and reactivation of the existing touristic areas and planning of organized touristic facilities installation

Figure 3. The multicriteria analysis of the assessment issue.

Table 5. Pair-wise comparison of the Strategic Thrusts

Criteria	Str. Thrust 1	Str. Thrust 2	Str. Thrust 3	Str. Thrust 4	Str. Thrust 5	Str. Thrust 6	Weight (w)
Str. Thrust 1	1	3	9	2	7	5	0.399
Str. Thrust 2	1/3	1	5	1/3	3	3	0.154
Str. Thrust 3	1/9	1/5	1	1/7	1/3	1/3	0.031
Str. Thrust 4	1/2	3	7	1	5	3	0.266
Str. Thrust 5	1/7	1/3	3	1/5	1	1/3	0.057
Str. Thrust 6	1/5	1/3	3	1/3	3	1	0.092

Table 6. The initial decision matrix

Alternatives	Criteria
	Str. Thrust 1	Str. Thrust 2	Str. Thrust 3	Str. Thrust 4	Str. Thrust 5	Str. Thrust 6
SDAP 1	1	5	1	6	3	2
SDAP 2	3	4	1	5	4	3
SDAP 3	3	3	2	3	2	2
SDAP 4	2	4	1	5	6	3
SDAP 5	3	5	2	3	6	4
SDAP 6	4	4	5	2	1	5
SDAP 7	4	4	6	3	1	6
SDAP 8	6	2	2	1	1	3
SDAP 9	6	2	2	1	2	3
SDAP 10	6	3	2	2	1	4
SDAP 11	5	4	4	3	2	6
SDAP 12	5	4	4	3	4	6
SDAP 13	4	4	6	3	1	6
SDAP 14	4	3	5	1	1	5
SDAP 15	5	2	3	2	1	4
SDAP 16	5	2	3	2	1	3
SDAP 17	4	3	3	2	5	4
SDAP 18	4	3	3	3	4	5

Table 7. Calculation of Euclidean distances and relative closeness measures (final prioritization)

Action programs	Si^+	Si^−	Ci^+
SDAP 1	0.112	0.106	0.49
SDAP 2	0.072	0.095	0.57
SDAP 3	0,096	0.061	0.39
SDAP 4	0.092	0.089	0.49
SDAP 5	0.090	0.071	0.44
SDAP 6	0.095	0.074	0.44
SDAP 7	0.079	0.083	0.51
SDAP 8	0.110	0.109	0.50
SDAP 9	0.109	0.109	0.50
SDAP 10	0.087	0.112	0.56
SDAP 11	0.068	0.101	0.60
SDAP 12	0.066	0.101	0.61
SDAP 13	0.079	0.083	0.51
SDAP 14	0.114	0.068	0.37
SDAP 15	0.093	0.090	0.49
SDAP 16	0.093	0.090	0.49
SDAP 17	0.095	0.072	0.43
SDAP 18	0.079	0.080	0.51

The Municipal Unity of Thermi (Thessaloniki-Greece). (2017, February 7). 40⁰34'31.40" N and 22⁰59'06.94" E. Google Earth Pro. March 28, 2017.

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