Research Journal Explores Acceptance of Urban Shrinkage

- While the Netherlands' national population is growing, shrinkage has been a structural trend in peripheral regions, leading to the country being one of the first in Europe to introduce a national policy for the issue, the Population Decline Action Plan, in 2009. This policy, however, ended in 2019, with its last targeted subsidy for shrinking regions ceasing in 2022. - In the Netherlands, 80% of areas experiencing shrinkage are in rural regions, primarily due to the out-migration of young people to urban centers. In contrast, Finnish shrinkage is also prominent in many rural and small towns, often linked to the decline of local forest industries. - A key challenge in managing shrinkage in the Netherlands is that the regional scale, often considered most appropriate for addressing the issue, is the weakest link in the Dutch governance system, with most inter-municipal collaboration being voluntary. The exception is Parkstad Limburg, which has a more formal regional governance arrangement. - The Dutch government's current focus is overwhelmingly on tackling the housing shortage in growth areas, with the National Housing Agenda aiming to build 900,000 new homes by 2030, a rate of over 100,000 per year. This agenda, driven by the Ministry of Housing and Spatial Planning, prioritizes increasing and accelerating housing construction in cities. - The Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG) acts as a knowledge platform and advocacy group for all Dutch municipalities, focusing on national influence and societal challenges. It supports municipalities in digital transformation and smart city initiatives to foster sustainable urban development. - Research comparing shrinking regions in the Netherlands (Parkstad Limburg) and Finland (Satakunta) reveals that policymakers often ignore or deny the issue. Ignoring is linked to a perceived lack of importance, while denying occurs when addressing shrinkage is seen as politically inconvenient. - In Finland, the concept of "smart shrinkage" has been adopted from urban policy into the national regional development lexicon to help peripheral areas cope with depopulation. However, challenges remain in adapting such concepts, originally designed for urban cores, to the specific characteristics of peripheral regions. - The aging of the population is a significant demographic factor in Dutch shrinking cities, with a notable increase in the number of older adults and a decline in young and working-age people. Projections indicate that by 2040, the 65+ age group will constitute on average 26.5% of the total population in the Netherlands.