Urban areas of Serbia – a new framework for spatial development

Abstract

Disproportions in the Serbian urban system, which were accumulated during the decades, manifested in unequal distribution of population, activities, highly qualified labor, accessibility of centers, have become more noticeable during the second decade of the 21st century. Concepts that were used in previous national spatial planning documents based their spatial development on the application of functional areas and functional urban areas without being able to provide balanced development – failing to implement politics of polycentrism. The national urban system of today has an irregular shape with clearly marked domination of the capital in all of the previously stated characteristics. In these circumstances, it is a necessity to seek a new instrument of spatial development that will provide "acceptable territorial imbalance" and prevent creating a further partition between the Belgrade metropolitan area and the rest of the territory. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a new framework of spatial development which is based on urban areas - using them as an instrument to optimize urban system and to contribute to territorial integration.