Types of economic deconcentration in European urban space. Magnitude, physical form, sectoral composition and governance context

This paper considers the processes of economic deconcentration that have occurred in Europe during the last fifteen years. Attention is particularly paid to fourteen case studies carried out in metropolitan areas in the Czech Republic (Prague and Brno), Denmark (Copenhagen and Aarhus), Israel (Tel Aviv and Beer-Sheva), Italy (Rome and Chieti-Pescara), the Netherlands (North Wing of Randstad and Breda), Spain (Madrid and Valladolid) and the United Kingdom (Bristol and Southampton). The aim of this paper is to establish a taxonomy of the forms of deconcentration in the studied metropolitan areas. The majority of the fourteen case study areas present a deconcentration process that concerns certain specific territories of the metropolitan areas. To some extent, this deconcentration can be defined as concentrated, in opposition to a scattered, diffused deconcentration. A concentrated deconcentration can be found in both case study areas in Denmark (Copenhagen and Aarhus), the Netherlands (North Wing of Randstad and Breda), the Czech Republic (Prague and Brno), Israel (Tel Aviv and Beer-Sheva), and in the mid-sized cities in Italy (Chieti-Pescara) and Spain (Valladolid). A dispersed deconcentration can be seen in the United Kingdom (Bristol and Southampton) and in the Italian and Spanish capital cities (Rome and Madrid). When the sectoral composition of deconcentration is analysed, there are three different possibilities: In the cities studied, a prevalence in the deconcentration of Services (in Copenhagen, Aarhus, North Wing of Randstad, Breda, Bristol, Southampton and Madrid) can be seen, followed by retailing (in Prague, Brno, Chieti-Pescara and Tel Aviv) and lastly by industry (in Valladolid, Rome and Beer-Sheva). A European model of deconcentration has the peculiarity of being very diversified. The historical wealth of the European cities is, in itself, a strong element of diversity. In some cases, due to its high value, cultural heritage constitutes an element of centripetal attraction and serves to slacken deconcentration. In other contexts, this same heritage favours centrifugal forces and enhances the deconcentration of space-consuming activities that, by their own intrinsic nature, must be located close to transport infrastructures.