Peri-urban areas with their mixed development and land use, large populations, proximity to urban populations as well as access to a wide range of local stakeholders, can be a showcase for Community Led Local Development (CCLD).

An exploratory Opinion of the European Economic and Social Committee by rapporteur Roman Haken looks at CLLD as a tool of Cohesion Policy 2014-2020 for local, rural, urban and peri-urban development.

The Opinion points out that:
'Places where urban and rural areas lie in close proximity are ones that offer potential for effective use of CLLD.  This type of instrument makes it possible to react to developments in the area and so take on board its functional interconnections.  Links between urban and peri-urban rural areas are very strong and merit a special approach.

Peri-urban areas have their own distinct problems or challenges that can be tackled using CLLD. The key challenges are sustainable mobility, creating a socially cohesive society and fixing priorities for land use.'

Peri-Urban 'chronicles' from the Ile-de-France Urban planning Institute (IAU)

Here are two interesting views of the peri-urban areas of Ile-de-France. They look at the diversity, the dynamics and the realities of peri-urban territories, deliberately avoiding the stereotypical and binary vision that tends to divide the EU territory into urban and rural in favour of a more subtle approach.

These chronicles give the opportunity to clarify a concept which, by its complexity and ambiguity, is subject to multiple interpretations, depending on the political agenda. Whether peri-urban development is seen as good or bad for the territory, the environment or for inhabitants, we need to understand it better in order to develop the tailored policies and strategies thatwill enable it to be managed. This way we can ensure Europe's growing peri-urban areas will prosper. 

Chroniques du périurbain