Planning the City of Tomorrow: Bridging the Gap between Planners and Subsurface Specialists

Abstract

This paper addresses the process towards integration of subsurface knowledge in urban
planning of three cities participating in COST Action TU1206 Sub-urban; Rotterdam, Glasgow and
Oslo. The cities have unique challenges to manage conflicts and opportunities in the subsurface in
the planning process. The Action has enabled a unique interaction between subsurface specialists
and urban planners, thereby contributing to transform the relationship between experts who
develop subsurface knowledge, and those who can benefit most from it – urban planners and
decision makers.
Common challenges are improving planning policies, enhancing the level of awareness of the
subsurface in city development and modification of legislation to include the subsurface. Benchmark
analyses were carried out among the 3 cities as each is aiming for adapting its urban planning
practice and legislation. In our opinion, there are 2 main routes to raise awareness that lead to
improved understanding and use of subsurface information in urban planning processes. These are
development of a subsurface policy and providing subsurface information. They should lead to
enable subsurface knowledge to be widely disseminated in order to manage risks and opportunities,
and maximise the economic, social and environmental benefits of the urban subsurface and its
services on which cities depend.