It is a cross-sectional and evolving document used for spatial planning in the Walloon Region. It will give orientations for the critical review of development plans and will be used as a reference for decisions relating to housing conditions, environment, travel, economic activities, urbanism, nature conservation… in other words for the development of the whole territory. It is an essential document for the future of Wallonia.

The cooperation of all private and public actors (inhabitants, companies, local authorities) is essential to achieve that project of territorial development.

The legal basis of the RSDP, which covers all the Government's competences, is the Walloon Code for Spatial Planning, Town Planning and Heritage (articles 13 to 15 - in french).

Consultation relating to that document has been carried out in various ways : public information, information meetings in county towns, requests for opinions from municipalities, advice authorities (Regional Commission for Spatial Planning, Economic and Social
Council of the Walloon Region) and decision-makers (Walloon Government's order of 29 October 1998 - in french).

Moreover an information leaflet was distributed across the Region at the beginning of the procedure.

The RSDP is made up of three main parts. The first part contains an analysis of the current situation of the territory and an outline of future trends. On the basis of the stakes revealed by these studies the strategy adopted is presented in the second and third parts. It comprises the project of spatial structure for Wallonia as well as several objectives (8), which are divided into options (32) and measures and, at another level, into studies and enhanced programming proposals.

The RSDP contains a project of spatial structure for Wallonia. That structure is mainly based on :

• the "Eurocorridors", which link up the big cities and urban areas of Europe and which are connected to the development of multiple activities in "anchor points"
• transregional cooperation areas, which are to be organized with Brussels, Lille and Luxembourg and around Liège with Hasselt, Maastricht and Aachen;
• supramunicipal cooperation areas initiated by municipalities, notably through "agglomerations" and "the country";
• Walloon towns, which each have a specific role to play;
• a partnership between town and country

This project is declined in two maps :

1. spatial structure on the level supraregional (map 16)
2. spatial structure for the Wallonia (map 17)
   

• The territory of Wallonia is the common heritage of its inhabitants
• Sustainable development
• Economic and social cohesion

1. Structuring the Walloon area
2. Integrating the supraregional dimension into Wallonia's development
3. Setting up cross-sectional collaborations
4. Satisfying essential needs
5. Contributing to job creation and wealth development
6. Improving the accessibility of Walloon territory and managing mobility
7. Developing heritage and protecting resources
8. Arousing the actors' awareness, notably with regard to their responsibilities

• On 29 October 1998 the Walloon government provisionally adopted the RSDP project.
• A public consultation took place between 9 December 1998 and 6 February 1999. The RSDP was accessible to the public in each municipality and information sessions were held in county towns and in the headquarters of the German-speaking Community.
• Municipal councils, decision makers and Advice Commissions, notably the Economic and Social Council of the Walloon Region, delivered their opinions.
• The Regional Advice Commission for Spatial Planning received the complete file and sent its opinion on April 30, 1999.
• The Government finally adopted the scheme on 27 May 1999.
  The Walloon Government's order adopting the scheme was published in the "Moniteur Belge" on 21 September 1999.

• Charles Fraser and Luc Marechal, "Belgium : the case of Wallonia", in Chris Couch, Charles Fraser and Susan Percy (Ed.), Urban Regeneration in Europe, Blackweel Publishing, Oxford, U.K, 2003, pp. 126-134
• Ch. Christians, "Walloon regions : man and nature with limited urbanization", in C. Christians (Ed), Belgium. A Geographical Introduction to its Regional Diversity ans its Human Richness, Bulletin de la Société géographique de Liège, n° 24, 24° année, 1988, pp.73-98