Pure aims to develop the various spatial functions of water catchment areas in the urban-rural fringe, focusing especially on public participation, water quality and flood risks. Pilot projects and guidelines developed by the project will address various issues such as integrating water management into spatial planning, improving the multifunctionality of water, discovering water related identities, restoring water systems and storm water management.

Water management systems for urban-rural fringes are failing to meet the needs of both their spatial functioning and local stakeholders, creating problems such as the drying up of nature reserves, flooding in downstream section of the river, poor ecological quality and pollution from industrial and agricultural sources."Planning for Urban-rural River Environments-North Sea region" (PURE North Sea) aims to develop and implement sustainable solutions for the problems of flooding, dehydration, poor water quality and the lack of spatial quality and identity in the rural-urban fringe zones of medium-sized cities.

Expected Outcomes

The four outcomes of PURE North Sea are expected to include the integration of water management policy into spatial planning through the use of water as an organising principle for spatial development. The result will be better spatial planning and the promotion of multifunctional land use. Other outcomes include the generation of support for the development of master plans and the implementation of pilot projects through close public-private partnerships and community involvement; the restoration of natural and resilient water system with good water quality and storage capacity resulting from a series of concrete measures based on water management and spatial planning policies, and the implementation of new technologies and policies in order to improve flood management.

Activities

The approach is in the form of four transnational programmes. Groningen (NL), Deventer (NL), Goteborg (S) and North East (UK) will produce guidelines reflecting the aims and objectives of the project. In each of the four transnational programmes there are five broad activities: Analysis, Planning, Implementation, Public Support and Publications. Analysis will comprise of stakeholder analysis, gap analysis of spatial planning and water management, technical analysis of water system and water quality and the spatial analysis of functions in the rural-urban fringe zone. Planning will incorporate drawing up concepts for catchment areas, drafting development plans (master plans), river restoration plans and drafting implementation plans. Implementation consists of the implementation of sustainable drainage systems, measures for water quality improvement and river restoration, recreational facilities linked to water, measures for economic diversification and regeneration, measures for ecological improvement, management of storm water and the establishment of monitoring structures. Public Support consists of community consultation meetings, awareness raising, the development and implementation of a communication plan and educational activities for adults. Finally, Publications will include the production of a CD-ROM, policy reports, articles for academic journals, brochures, press releases, on-site press visits and a PURE website. The result of these activities will include four pilot projects, eighteen master plans/catchment visions, ten transnational workshops, sixteen exchange visits and four sets of guidelines realizing project aims and objectives.

Reported Outcomes

Now well into its third year of implementation, the results from the various projects activities have become more pronounced. The PURE check sustainability tool has been completed by now and carried out for several partner sites. Within this period some of implementation activities are related to the development of footpaths, reed beds, wetlands and water connections. In Goningen (NL) the Waterstructure Plan Westrand is nearly completed. The two PURE checks resulted in a better arrangement of the natural banks within the water system and an improved connection with the existing ecological structure is envisaged. Ecological banks, a reed bed and a water inlet have been installed. The water inlet can be used to add water in times of shortage and will also be used as an inlet for process water for a close-by sugar factory. Groningen also succeeded in the implementation of the Masterplan Hoogkerk-Leegkerk-Dorkwerd where PURE principles from the themes of Multifunctionality, Water System Restoration and Participation have been incorporated. The implementation will be carried out with additional local budget during 2006-2010 The guidance books on each theme progress steadily. A first draft about Planning with Water has been discussed. The guidebooks on Multifuctionality and Water System Restoration will be completed soon. A transnational meeting also agreed on a framework for analysing the different PURE participation pilot activities forming the basis of the guidance book on Participation. The project is also reaching out to national and international recognition. A presentation was made as part of the Committee of the Regions Open Days, and the Minister of Agriculture and Nature for the Netherlands visited one of the project?s implementation sites to speak to inhabitants and landowners about the developments of the area. The coordinator of the North East region (GB) gave a response to national consultation on Water for Life and Livelihoods in the context of the England and Wales participation strategy for the Water Framework Strategy. Redcar and Cleverland College (UK) has produced 18 learning packages on different topics to raise the awareness and involvement of local people about water management in their own living environment. In Groningen support from the local residents has been also sought when discussing a project plan for river restoration or when deciding on the location for the construction of a pumping station. Two participation groups have been established to support the management of waterways in their neighbourhood. E.g. inhabitants of the Reitdiep Neighbourhood (Groningen) helped to install 120 square meters of float lands in the water structure of their neighbourhood. This is the largest amount of water purification asset on one location in the Netherlands.