SPATIAL PLANNING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN PORTUGAL: INSTRUMENTS, PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES

Abstract

Spatial and urban planning has been practiced for centuries in Europe. In Portugal, the major tradition comes from agricultural and forest area and only by the end of 20th century a true territorial management system emerged which allowed also the integration of some legal figures that already existed. Nevertheless, it has been argued that it came a little too late to meet territorial trends and dynamics already established for several decades and with serious consequences at regional level. This paper presents Portuguese territorial management system and discusses the importance of its implementation to sustainable development of territory and its resources.