Territorial and socio-economic diagnostics for the Intermunicipal Structural Plan of Valdisieve

Title Territorial and socio-economic diagnostics for the Intermunicipal Structural Plan of Valdisieve

Location Municipalities of Pontassieve, Londa, San Godenzo, Rufina and Pelago (Tuscany, Italy)

Duration September 2020- June 2021

Funding Unione dei Comuni Valdisieve e Valdarno

Context

The Union of Municipalities of Valdisieve and Valdarno – formed by the municipalities of Pontassieve, Londa, San Godenzo, Rufina and Pelago – has drafted its new Intermunicipal Structural Plan, for a area-wide planning that goes beyond the borders of each municipality. This new Plan includes tools and identifies targets and objectives to promote the social and economic inclusion of the whole area in order to propose common solutions. ARCO has been involved in the project to carry out a territorial and socio-economic diagnostics as one of the starting points for the definition of the Intermunicipal Structural Plan for the definition of the Intermunicipal Structural Plan.

General Objective

The Local Development Unit has analyzed the characteristics, the performances and the criticalities of the existing socio-economic system within the territory of the Municipalities of Pontassieve, Pelago, Rufina, Londa and San Godenzo, in order to illustrate the situation (referring to the year 2020) and, at the same time, to elaborate forecasting trends relating to housing issues, manufacturing, agri-food sector and tourism.

Our contribution 

To carry out the territorial and socio-economic diagnostics Researchers adopted a mixed methods approach that involves both quantitative data – surveys on primary data and analysis of secondary data  – and qualitative data – interviews and focus groups. The integration of these two techniques aimed at producing more informative, comprehensive and useful results. The research methodology was articulated in the following phases:

  • Analysis of existing reports and documentation;
  • Collection and systematization of  demographic, social and economic information and data available for each of the five Municipalities, both at the municipal and territorial level, through a variety of indicators;
  • Integration of the information framework by carrying out semi-structured interviews and online questionnaires;
  • Interaction through participatory processes and promotion of citizen active participation in the Working Tables;
  • Processing of the information collected through the use of software for the analysis of qualitative data;
  • Processing and geo-referencing of data for the construction of thematic maps.

This plurality of sources allowed to obtain a complete picture of all the social and economic aspects that will be addressed in the future inter-municipal planning and the enhancement and protection of the territory and social cohesion.

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