Presently, peri-urbanisation is one of the most pervasive processes of land use change in Europe with strong impacts on both the environment and quality of life. It is a matter of great urgency to determine strategies and tools in support of sustainable development. The book synthesizes the results of PLUREL, a large European Commission funded research project (2007-2010).  Tools and strategies of PLUREL address main challenges of managing land use in peri-urban areas. These results are presented and illustrated by means of 7case studies which are at the core of the book.  This volume presents a novel, future oriented approach to the planning and management of peri-urban areas with a main focus on scenarios and sustainability impact analysis. The research is unique in that it focuses on the future by linking quantitativescenariomodeling and sustainability impact analysis with qualitative and in-depth analysis of regional strategies, as well as including a study at European level  with case study work also involving a Chinese case study.

Preface.- Part 1: Concepts.- The dynamics of peri-urbanization.- Rural-Urban Regions - A spatial approach to define urban-rural relationships in Europe.- Tools for modelling and assessing peri-urban land use futures.- Part 2: Case Studies.- The Hague region: negotiating the common ground in peri-urban landscapes.- Warsaw - spatial growth with limited contro.- Manchester: re-inventing the local-global in the peri-urban city region.- Leipzig-Halle - Ecosystem services in a stagnating urban region in Eastern Germany.- The Montpellier agglomeration: new approaches for territorial coordination in the peri-urban.- 9. Koper - beyond the rural  and urban paradigm.- Hangzhou - fast urbanisation and high population growth.- Part 3: Synthesis.- Governance and sustainability of peri-urban areas: A comparative analysis of the PLUREL case studies.- Sustainable land use in peri-urban areas: government, planning and financial instruments.- The future of the rural urban region.