Polycentric development under different conditions : realism of the Buskerud City plan

Abstract

The Buskerud City partnership ( Buskerudbysamarbeidet ) has since 2013 collaborated via a strategic planning policy, aiming for implementation of a polycentric city-region development, consisting of five main centres and hubs. The differences in characteristics between these five municipalities could possibly have an impact on how the municipalities approach the plan. The municipalities of Drammen and Øvre Eiker are used as cases, looking for differences and historical development to see how their present positions determinate their potential of developing a core within a polycentric structure. A key finding is that Drammen due to its history as a city has altered through an industrial change, and kept its position of being a city. Øvre Eiker has a higher amount of establishment within the primary and secondary industries. As well, an increased has acquired work outside the municipality. So is it harder for Øvre Eiker to strengthen Hokksund as their core, as it is not that attractive to developers. For both municipalities, there are tendencies showing growth rather takes place outside the selected cores. Hence, the conditions for a development where “as many as possible” of establishments in a centre could take place, are weak due to how bigger and smaller cities relate to each other, a founding as well partly confirmed by property developers.