Enschede speaking for itself - Guide for Spatial Quality:
a double name and a double meaning.
Both residents and visitors of Enschede have been invited to
comment on the spatial quality of their neighbourhood and
the city. In addition, the Guide reflects qualities which are
characteristic for Enschede and are worthwhile to be further
developed.

The municipality of Enschede has developed De Gids voor Ruimtelijke Kwaliteit ('The Spatial Quality Guide'), a method that consists of five steps:

1. Determine the most important spatial characteristics, by local area.
2. Interpret all policy documents for their significance for each local area.
3. Ask the users what spatial quality means to them in their (familiar) neighbourhoods (via the web site) 'green' and 'safety' are the most frequently mentioned.
4. Use the information from 1, 2 and 3 to distil a 'fundamental attitude': 'respect' (maintain the present function) or 'redevelop' (make a new function possible) for the existing spatial quality (chart this out). The opinion of the population determines the fundamental attitude.
5. Per local area, a half-sheet of paper on requirements for development: what do you want to respect and what do you want to redevelop, both in manifestation and in potential functions.

This way, the municipality of Enschede wishes to indicate where it intends to deviate from the zoning plans and where the dynamic zones are. The existing policy documents are the primary source determining what the use/function can be changed to.

The Guide

• is intended to review new initiatives/construction plans quickly and transparently
• gives a long-term perspective for the potential departure from zoning plans
• produces procedural advantages (general declaration of no objection)
• gives a simple overview of general policy for every local area
• provides for deregulation based on the total outlines at local area level.

The English version gives a  short summary, the Dutch original consists of a General Guideand one booklet for each and every one of the Districts: North, South, East, West and the City Centre. 

The key chapters of the English version being: