Sixteen partners in seven regions in northwest Europe have joined to prepare an open space policy. This partnership and co-operation network was approved in April 2003 as a project within the INTERREG IIIB Community Initiative concerning Transnational Co-operation on Spatial Planning 2000 to 2006.
The project title is Sustainable Open Space - Celebrate Open Space (SOS II).
SOS I
The former SOS-project took place from 1998 to 2000 as an INTERREG IIC-project. The conclusion of the project was clear: the EU and the member states must pay more attention to the everyday open space that so many citizens in the densely populated NW Europe value highly. Especially, the peri-urban open space needs a different approach in spatial planning and regional development.
SOS II
The SOS II-project wants to take this further by elaborating the concept of open space; By raising the awareness for the value of the open space; By defining and seeking planning tools and providing a framework for spatial planning in member states; By developing strategies to promote and sustain the open space in regions where the standard of living and consumption patterns are among the highest in the world; By proposing principles that could guide decisions and actions on future European spatial development.
The SOS II-project is based on the experiences of 26 actions in seven regions. They will develop visible examples of strategies and approaches. Together they will establish a knowledge network for sharing best practices, solutions and (in) formal knowledge. The SOS II-partners hope to develop into a community of practices where sustainable open space is the key issue.