Revisiting a programmatic planning approach: managing linkages between transport and land use planning

The body of knowledge on transport and land use planning shows considerable overlap with management theories and practices. Notable examples can be found in project management and strategic management. Recently, in the field of management theory, the idea of programme management has gained prominence in response to the need to coordinate on a tactical level. Programme management links to both strategic management and project management, as it focuses on the coordinated management of related projects in order to realize strategic objectives. In line with the tradition to integrate management theories into spatial planning, the aim of this paper is to explore the power of a programme management approach in a transport and land use planning context. We investigate whether and how a programme management approach when applied in transport and land use planning can deal with three important interrelated challenges that emerge between the strategic and operational level in transport and land use planning: (1) linking strategic goals to operational projects, (2) developing the accompanying joint organizational structures, and (3) moulding fixed and separate procedures into more adaptive joint decision-making processes. To do so, we conducted an in-depth case study of two recent programme management approaches in Dutch transport and land use planning. We show that both programmes function as platforms where different parties come together and where a wide range of management and monitoring tools are used to guide the programme in a specific direction.