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As well as taking part in Horizon projects as a member of delivery partnerships PURPLE is also keen to be involved in projects in other ways.

As previously reported, Vincent O'Connell is a member fo the Advisory Board for the SPADES (Spatial Planning and Design with Soil) project - an initiative supported through the Horizon Europe Soil Mission - alongside representatives from the European Enviornment Association (EEA) and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water.

Last November O'Connell was able to meet project leaders from Deltares and the Technical University of Delft (TUD) as well as the broader consortium when it met in Leipzig. After two days of intense work by all the partners, O'Connell shared his own thoughts on how the project might build on the considerable amount of work already done and its impressive emerging results.

For more details of SPADES, see: https://www.spades4soils.eu/

 

As previously announced, PURPLE members have the opportunity to congregate in person in Poznan in early September at the kind invitation of colleagues from the Wielkopolska Region, in particular Vice Marshal Mr Jankowiak and the Spatial Planning directorate which forms part of his portfolio.

Mr Jankowiak will himself join the group on Tuesday September 9th as part of a meetng looking at what has so far emerged from the discussions and agreements of the 39th General Assembly held in June - a great opportunity to re-engage and refcus after the summer break. A Working Group meeting will take key points from that discssion into a more workshop format session later the same day.

That all serves as a prelude to the international conference "RESPONSIBLE FOR SPACE. NEW CHALLENGES - NEW SOLUTIONS". an event whch takes pkace the following day and which has been covened to mark and celebrate the seventieth anniversary of spatial planning in Wielkopolska, a milestone which falls in 2025. The event will tackle key issues including climate change and ageing societies and how these fundamentally alter the approach of - and to - spatial planning.

 

 

PURPLE has made a successful application to participate in the second edition of the Rural Pact Conference - entitled "From Vision to Action: Empowering Rural Areas for the Future" and due to take place in Kortrijk on September 16 and 17. With speakers including Commissioners Fitto and Hansen and high level officials from both DG AGRI and DG REGIO, it is hoed that this wil be an opportunity to convey the message that rural empowerment is inherently linked to strong and posituve connectiosn between the rural and the peri-urban.

Both the PURPLE Working Group and its Lobby Group convene face to face for the first time in 2025, in Brussels on April 29th.

In the case of the Working Group that meeting continues on the morning of April 30th at the offices of the Flemish Land Agency.

Agendas for both meeetings are now available from the members' area of tge website or can be supplied upon request to: info@purple-eu.org

 

 

PURPLE is delighted to announce that its 40th General Assembly will take place in Poznań on Tuesday 09 September 2025. The event will be hosted by our colleagues and friends from the Wielkopolska region and has beeen timed to take place alongside an event celebrating the 70th anniversary of their Spatial Planning Office (WBPP) with the title "RESPONSIBLE FOR SPACE. NEW CHALLENGES - NEW SOLUTIONS. Key issues to be addressed during the conference include climate change and the ageing society, and how both fundamentally alter approachees to spatial planning.

(Reproduced without permission)

That special anniversary will be marked by an invitee-only event on 10 September which has very generously been opened to PURPLE delegates and their guests.

Anyone interested in joining us is invited to contact the PURPLE Secretary General at info@purple-eu.org

 

 

PURPLE was recently invited to consider becoming a member of the Advisory Board (AB) for the SPADES project - an initiative supported through the Horizon Europe Soil Mission. After discussion with project leaders from Deltares and the Technical University of Delft (TUD)  Vincent O'Connell has formally accepted the role alongside representatives from the European Enviornment Association (EEA) and the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water, soil and water board.

For further detial of SPADES, see: https://www.spades4soils.eu/