Engines of growth beyond Metropolitan Areas – Success Factors and Recommendations for Action to Support Development

With discussion on the “Concepts and Strategies for Spatial Development in Germany” put forward by the Standing Conference of Ministers responsible for Spatial Planning in Germany (the MKRO), the burgeoning importance of growth areas and metropolises as engines of growth and dynamic performers has become unmistakably clear. However, alongside these regions, there are also numerous rural regions and other more peripheral areas in Germany, located outside the more narrowly drawn boundaries of metropolitan conurbations which, from the perspective of regional economy and economic geography, are currently displaying positive and sustainable development, thus contradicting the more generalised impression of such regions as “areas of shrinkage and population depletion” (cf. BBR 2005: 85 ff.). These areas exhibit major potential for growth in tandem with rising population and employment numbers and a high level of gross value added. These regions should also be made the subject of attention and of funding in the future, in the context of securing parity of living conditions in order to support existing positive trends.