Planning, competitiveness and sprawl in the Mediterranean city: The case of Athens

Competitiveness appears as a new element in the specific dynamics of the Mediterranean city. This paper explores the process of competitiveness at the local level, and the implications of the re-orientation of spatial planning priorities through case-study research. It looks at Athens, an example of a so-called ’winner’ city, which hosted successfully the 2004 Olympic Games. It examines by means of satellite imagery and GIS the changing patterns of land development in the metropolitan area. Olympics-related infrastructural investments, such as the new ring road and international airport, facilitated the efficient execution of the Games. Olympic development priorities, however, sidestepped stated planning directions on metropolitan growth. Evidence presented in this paper point to a land-use change trend in the urban periphery that takes the form of unordered expansion. Competitiveness agendas exacerbate unsustainable development tendencies, compromising future growth prospects.