The classification of spatial planning in Europe: added value and challenges

Classifications of planning systems are valuable in analysis and explanation of their main lines of similarity and difference, especially where projects have generated large amounts of data. There are two main types, taxonomies allocate systems into classes that are mutually exclusive with countries in the same or adjacent classes clustered as a type. Typologies use ideal types that are conceptual, one-sided characterisations. The choice of variables is a theoretical statement about what is important in variation. There were four major European cross-national comparative planning studies between 1989 and 2006. Constitutional arrangements and legal families are the primary variables and emphasise the differences in commitment and discretion in systems. Four post-2006 classifications arising from the ESPON COMPASS project are also reviewed which use other variables including the level of sectoral policy integration, adaptation and quality of governance. Classifications using many variables are less successful in clustering countries, there is a lot of variation and not much similarity.