Die Region Halle-Leipzig: Neugliederung und Kooperationsansätze

Abstract

As far as the new Laender of the Federal Republic of Germany are concerned, the Halle-Leipzig region is marked by an especially great development dynamics on the one hand but on the other, this old industrialized economic region suffers from serious structural problems. From these general conditions arise high demands on instruments of regional planning and management. When looking for regional political solutions administrative delimitations and beginnings of intercommunal cooperation are important factors of influence. Due to a strong increase in the establishment of shopping centres in particular in the urban regions of the two core cities of Halle and Leipzig there is a great need for action. A large number of failings caused by insufficient coordination amongst private investment activities and public planning are to be noted here. Among others, problems arise from the approval of a large number of trading estates and large-scale retail projects without considering the actual surface required and the consequences to be expected for hierarchy of urban centres. Already now it is obvious that for a long time both the lack of regional development concepts in the phase of strongest industrial location and the questionable reorganisation of the Laender and districts with its negative effects will have an influence on the development perspectives of the region. Thus, the drawing-up of the new border between Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt right through the agglomeration of Halle-Leipzig created an extremely unfavourable starting point for planning activities. In order not to spoil the region's prospects by further mistakes in regional development it is urgently necessary that the state and regional development plans come into effect as soon as possible and that political and economic decision-makers come together to work out solutions for the whole region. However, the administrative bodies necessary for an understanding of the participants and for the establishment of a regional network have still to be created. In Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt a division of labour between authorities of regional planning and town-hinterland associations to be established still is urgently necessary. As far Karin Wiest The Halle-Leipzig Region - Administrative organisation and beginnings of cooperation Europa Regional, 1(1993)2, pp. 1-11 as the cooperation of the two Laender is concerned, optimal concepts of action for the agglomeration of Halle-Leipzig are impeded by differing legal bases of planning and formalities. In this context, the possibility of establishing regional districts is being discussed in order to make political structures more efficient and to be closer to the problems. A union of the towns and districts to form a common planning region of Halle-Leipzig in the sense of a regional district, however, would involve another administrative reform which in the medium term is not possible to realise and is, therefore, no realistic alternative for the near future. In order to ensure a positive development of the region in the long run regional functions of cooperation an management bound to solid institutions cannot be renounced with. However, the scope of these institutions should not be limited to discussions and exchange of information but include concepts of action suited to realise all-regional interests.