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Overview of the relevant energy and spatial planning instruments

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Local energy demand and the local potentials for energy supply are strongly interrelated with settlement structures. Therefore, the implementation of spatial planning instruments has a distinct influence on the clean energy transition, especially on local level. Knowing the extent to which local planning instruments affect energy demand and supply is essential to ensure an implementation that is consistent with clean energy transition strategies.

Planning on different levels

Although spatial planning frameworks are considerably different throughout European countries, in most of the countries planning occurs on different levels that interact with each other. While the legal framework is set on the national or provincial level, the local level, i.e. the municipality, is considered to be crucial in the determination of settlement structures and specific developments. By designing a liveable town with energy-efficient structures, municipalities can contribute considerably to the clean energy transition.

Energy planning on the other hand, does not follow this hierarchically structured framework as applied in the spatial planning framework, and occurs in a fragmented manner across different local and regional entities. Nevertheless, there are goals on the national level, like the National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) in every EU-country, that need to be broken down to regions and municipalities. Out of these localised targets, energy strategies with specific measures on the municipal level can be derived.

From (inter-)national targets to local strategies

Beginning with the Paris Agreement and the Agenda 2030 on a global level via the European Green Deal and other directives and programmes on the EU-level to the National Energy and Climate Plans, there is a widely ramified framework of targets towards the Clean Energy Transition. The national – or if available the regional – targets work as an underlying initial point to set up your own local strategy. To assess the baseline situation for a clean energy transition, the existing spatial patterns like settlement structures or transport systems, as well as the planned development, are crucial, as they determine both the energy demand and the potential for local renewable energy supply.

Goals, targets and strategies – from European to local level

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National frameworks

Out of the Plenty Life project, the national frameworks of four countries have been analysed in detail, below you can find more information on it.

  • Austria
  • Italy
  • Portugal
  • Romania

Planning system Austria

Austria is a federal republic with nine autonomous provinces and about 2,000 municipalities. The provinces are accountable for spatial planning in the narrower sense, which includes legislation and all planning on the provincial and regional level. The local level, however, falls within the municipality’s own sphere of influence. Some sectoral planning tasks, like railways, federal roads, or forestry, are settled on the federal level. Four basic rules are of central importance for the functioning of the spatial planning system.

(1) The planning of a subspace must fit into the planning of the overall space (planning hierarchy).

(2) Analogously, there is also a plan hierarchy, which expresses that a superior plan in the planning hierarchy represents the decision-making framework for the subordinate plans.

(3) There are also obligations for vertical planning coordination. Co-ordination of the decisions of several planning authorities is ensured by the right of the subordinate planning authority to be heard, by the obligation of the provinces (“Bundesländer”) to provide administrative assistance, and by the exercise of supervisory rights with regard to plans of the municipalities.

(4) Horizontal planning coordination, i.e., the coordination of planning intentions at the same planning level with the neighbouring spatial unit (e.g. between neighbouring municipalities) is guaranteed by information obligations and consultation rights.

Local spatial planning

The municipalities are responsible for the implementation of local spatial planning in their own sphere of competence. In doing so, they must consider both federal and provincial laws.

The instruments of local spatial planning include (1) the local development concept, (2) the zoning plan, and (3) the development plan. These build on each other in the order mentioned and have an increasing level of detail. While the local development concept has a strategic character, the zoning plan represents the central regulatory instrument. The development plan determines the concrete structures.

Planning system Italy

Italy operates under a hierarchical planning system, comprising regions, provinces (or metropolitan cities), and municipalities. This structure resembles models typically found in federal countries, where regional laws serve as the primary legal framework guiding the planning process. 

At the national level, the government issues general guidelines for territorial development (National Law No. 1150/1942). However, the responsibility for defining the structure and procedures of spatial planning falls to the regions, which enjoy significant autonomy. Despite this decentralization, planning systems remain largely consistent throughout the country: 

  • regions define the overarching objectives and strategic framework for organizing and planning their territories; 
  • provinces (or metropolitan cities) establish the key goals and foundational elements of spatial planning at the provincial level; 
  • municipalities develop local plans that integrate long-term strategic visions with operational zoning regulations. 

This layered system ensures that territorial planning is both locally responsive and aligned with broader regional and national goals. 

Planning system Portugal

Portugal operates under a hierarchical planning system, comprising regions and municipalities.  At the national level, the government issues general guidelines for territorial development while also regulating the relationships between different levels of public administration in the country (National Law No. 48/1998): 

  • regions define strategic options for organizing their territory by considering the urban system, infrastructure, and key regional areas such as agriculture, forestry, environment, and economy; 
  • municipalities establish the land use regime and the respective implementation, in accordance with the strategic guidelines at the regional level, and with their own options for local strategic development. 

This layered system ensures that territorial planning is both locally responsive and aligned with broader regional and national goals.

Planning system Romania

Romania operates under a hierarchical planning system, comprising counties and towns/communes. At the national level, the government establishes guidelines, sectoral policies, programmes and  priority projects that serve a guiding role, ensuring coherence in planning frameworks across all administrative levels (National Law No. 350/2001): 

  • counties outline strategic directions for spatial development, coordinate planning efforts between localities, provide technical assistance to local authorities, and ensure consistency with national and regional objectives; 
  • towns/communes determine detailed land use regulations, oversee local urban development, issue building permits, and implement policies tailored to local needs while adhering to broader strategic frameworks. 

This layered system ensures that territorial planning is both locally responsive and aligned with broader regional and national goals.