Growth Pole Ploiesti - Prahova - tool for regional development

ADRIAN NEDELCU Economy and Business Administration Department

Petroleum-Gas University of Ploiești Ploiești, No 39, Bucharest Avenue, 100680, Prahova County

ROMANIA nedelcuadrian56@yahoo.fr

Abstract: - Spatial planning has experienced profound changes in recent decades marked by abandonment of interventionist policies and orientation towards development models that give a significant role to the regional level of spatial planning. In this context, the region is seen as an important source of comparative advantages, but also as a basic scale for economic development. The essence of this increase in the role of the regional level is expressed by the new regionalism, whereby one region can hold its own path of development. Despite these positive developments of the regions, the fact that local and regional development remains strongly correlated with events occurring nationally or internationally cannot be ignored. In this framework, the relations between the region and the central powers, the state or it’s mode of integration into the global system remain important structural forces. Regional development is mainly aimed at the harmonious development of the territory of a region from an economic, social and cultural point of view, by avoiding the negative effects of excessive urbanization process. In the context of regional development on a matrix of sustainable development the city of Ploiești is regarded as the coordinating centre for the settlements in the immediate vicinity and used as a tool to achieve the goal of regional development, namely a territorial, balanced development of the regions. This paper tries to highlight the city of Ploiesti as the engine of the regional sustainable development through spatial diffusion of growth impulses to the area of influence in terms of protecting the environment and boosting development processes in small towns and adjacent rural areas. Key-Words: - regional development, sustainable development, growth pole, metropolitan area, urban development pole, industrial park. 1 Introduction Regional development is one of the major concerns of the European Union since its establishment, when the signing of the Treaty on interstate economic integration in 1957 in Roma stipulated the following objective for regional policy: "to strengthen the unity of national economies and to ensure harmonious development by reducing disparities between different regions and especially to support the most disadvantaged regions." Regional development policy of the European Union, which is based on financial solidarity, that allows third of the EU budget to be directed towards the most disadvantaged regions, is in fact the "engine" that makes possible the development of all regions and crystallization of a more cohesive economic union, competitive and balanced. This major interest is based on economic grounds, meaning that the development of less favoured regions will polarize preferentially the input of trade, creating new markets for both capital goods and consumer goods and services (as the

result of the increase of third sector in the economy). On the other hand, rational territorial distribution of industry, infrastructure and labor will help reduce the negative effects of overcrowding, a phenomenon faced by most prosperous regions. The following fundamental principles stand at the basis of the regional development policy in the European Union: - the principle of concentration, principle that prevents waste and dispersion of resources on too many goals, the allocated funding focusing on common goals; - the principle of coherence, whereby a specific project for a specific sector should be based on a comprehensive long-term strategy, good correlation with other projects, and should come under the general development plan; - the principle of subsidiarity, a principle that places responsibility closer to the concrete reality; - partnership principle, followed throughout the process of regional sustainability and development, acknowledges the role of local actors responsible in defining their needs and mobilizing resources;

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according to this principle, the involvement and participation of stakeholders at all levels (local, regional, national and EU) in all phases of attraction and exploitation of the Structural Funds are urgently needed, as a guarantee of efficiency of resource allocation; - the principle of additionality, whereby financial resources are allocated additionally to resources from national, regional or local authorities; - the principle of co-financing requires that projects and programs for regional development should have an involvement and participation (co-financing) of both local and regional factors, as well as factors of EU; - the principle of evaluation works by continuous assessment (conducted throughout project implementation to distinguish whether the project objectives are operational, and the programs are carried out, in order to be able to intervene in time if needed), and by final evaluation (to what extent the project objectives have been achieved and to what extent they can be pursued through subsequent programs). The major objectives of the European Union for the period 2007-2013 are related to achieving social, economic and territorial cohesion and ensuring economic competitiveness. For the commissioning of these objectives it was recommended and it is still recommended that funds should be concentrated in growth poles to ensure the polycentric development of Member States and increase their ability to compete internationally. 2 Methodology This study seeks to highlight the city's role in regional sustainable development, representing a development pole that allows a better balancing of the economic, social and cultural development, by spatial diffusion of growth impulses towards areas of influence in terms of protecting the environment. In terms of methodology, the study is the result of the analysis of various bibliographic sources. Qualitative methods, case study, observation method, exploratory research, document analysis, consultation of bibliographic sources, of relevant legislation were used. In order to obtain data on the concept of growth pole and the polycentric development process, the exploratory method was used. In this respect the main documents, publications that have made reference to regional sustainable development through growth poles have been analyzed. Presentation of the natural and demo-economic

profile of the growth pole was achieved by using the descriptive method. 3 Regional development policy in Romania At EU level, the strategy of growth centres is emerging in the early 60s, due to the need of deglomeration of highly urbanized regions in order to reduce the gaps that are more obvious and with serious consequences, both at interregional and intraregional level. It is based on the growth pole concept, established by Francois Perroux and widely elaborated by Jacques-Raoul Boudeville and José Ramón Lasuén, according to whom growth poles are cities with a number of features that out pass the average of the region and in which growth processes are triggered [1]. Thus, the polarization on sectors, occurred due to the onset of growth processes, also has the implicitly effect of spatial or regional polarization, proof being the spatial development trend of growth poles of the first generation on the axes of development occurred along the major lines of transportation [5]. In the context of sustainable development, Romania is currently facing a big challenge of rethinking and reorganization the regional development and urban systems [2]. In Romania, each of the eight development regions includes, on a territorial level, at least one city with over 200,000 inhabitants, with an important contribution to regional development. In order to implement the national strategy for polycentric urban development and its connection to European Union policy, one year after Romania’s integration, in 2008, seven major cities have been designated as centers of growth poles. These correspond to concentrations of industries with higher dynamic (Timișoara, Cluj-Napoca, Brașov, Ploiești, Constanța, Iași, Craiova - one in each development region). Through their ability to induce sustained economic growth, creating jobs, boosting productivity, irradiation of development processes in small towns as well as rural adjacent areas, poles of growth have important involvement and multiplication effects on the regional economy [1]. 3.1 Growth Pole - instrument of the regional development policy in Romania The period that has elapsed since the fall of communism (1989) but also the endeavours to connecting to the European system of values (2004, 2007) have demonstrated the need for adopting sustainable regional development policies. A challenge that Romania is facing, at present, binds to rethinking and reorganizing regional development

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and urban systems in the context of sustainable development [2]. In this context, growth pole, the new territorial structure comprises two main components: an urban centre or urban centre coordinator (generator of regional economic development) and the adjacent area (metropolitan area) that consists of townships with which, according to size, functional profile and quality of the transport infrastructure, can have relations of reciprocity, interdependency and subordinate relationships are lost gradually in favour of cooperation, partnership. Along with the 7 poles of growth 13 other urban centres have been identified as drivers of regional development (Arad, Baia Mare, Bacău, Brăila, Galaţi, Deva, Oradea, Piteşti, Râmnicu-Vâlcea, Satu Mare, Sibiu, Suceava și Târgu-Mureș) as poles of urban development. 3.2 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova The Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is part of South Muntenia region, where the Danube forms the natural border with Bulgaria, offering the possibility of having links with the 8 riparian countries and also access to the Black Sea in Constanta Port - the most important port in the Black Sea Basin and the fourth largest in Europe through the Danube-Black Sea channel. The South Muntenia region covers an area of 34.489 square kilometres (third largest in Romania) and has a population of 3,379,406 inhabitants (the second largest population, after the North-East Development Region). The Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is located in the southwest of Prahova County and with respect to administrative-territorial aspects, it comprises an urban centre (Ploieşti – 1st rank municipality) and its area of influence where there are 3 integrated towns (Băicoi, Boldești-Scăieni and Plopeni) and 10 rural municipalities (Blejoi, Bucov, Dumbrăvești, Păulești, Berceni, Valea Călugărească, Bărcănești, Brazi, Ariceștii Rahtivani, Târgșoru Vechi), that comprise of 58 villages, 10 of which function as townships, with an average of 5.8 villages per township (Fig. 1). The total area of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is 61,165 ha, of which 5,828 ha is the administrative area of Ploiești, and 55,337 ha located within the urban pole, occupying 1.8% of South Muntenia Development Region, is 12.97% of the total area of Prahova County. The Growth Pole has a population of 351 108 inhabitants, representing approximately 10.77% of the population of the South-Muntenia Development Region and respectively 43.19% of the total population of the county Prahova.

The geographical position, the size of the population, but also the poly-functional structure ensures the urban coordinator centre Ploiești with those prerequisites necessary to develop interdependent relations with adjacent area (Fig. 2). Accordingly, we can adopt the hypothesis according to which district polarization has the implicitly effect of polarization of the metropolitan area, reflected in the flows of matter, energy and information that are targeted on the one hand from the urban coordinator centre towards the surrounding area, and on the other side from the surrounding area to the urban centre [3]. Depending on the distance from the city, the particular characteristics of the city and its surrounding area, these streams have lower or higher intensities older and are more or less complex. The criteria that led to the establishment of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, as national growth pole were the following: - high level of economic and social development and the considerable potential to attract investors; - placement in close proximity to European and national transport networks, which provides connection with other European urban poles (of the three Pan-European corridors crossing Romania two are of great interest to growth pole, where the Corridor IV: Berlin - Prague – Budapest – Brașov – Bucharest – Constanța – Thessaloniki - Istanbul and Corridor IX: Helsinki - St. Petersburg – Moscow – Kiev – Chisinau – Bucharest - Alexandroupolis inter-cross), easy access being a competitive advantage, an engine of economic development (favourable positioning on the E60 road and DN1 road, the artery considered to have the most intense traffic in Romania, especially in the segment of Bucharest-Ploiești-Brasov, where annual traffic varies between 6,000,000 and 10,000,000 vehicle passages(fig. 1).

Fig. 1 The position of the Growth Pole Ploiești-

Prahova

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Fig. 2 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova within the

Prahova county

- strong research-development and innovation capacity (the Petrol-Gaze University of Ploiești-the most important higher education institution in its field, the Research and Development Institute for Viticulture and Winemaking in Valea Călugărească, National Institute for Research and Development of Oil Equipment in Ploiești); - experience gained as regional centre (former residence of Ploiești region) and traditional relations with neighboring cities (Buzău, Brașov, Târgoviște). 3.2.1 Natural and human potential of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova The Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is a relatively compact geographical area that includes the localities in the vicinity of its main urban center: in the north the localities Băicoi, Boldești-Scăieni, Plopeni, Blejoi, Bucov, Dumbrăvești și Păulești; in the East the localities Berceni and Valea Călugărească; in the south the townships Bărcănești and Brazi, and in the west the localities Ariceștii Rahtivani and Târgșoru Vechi. Ploiești municipality, residence of Prahova county, located at an altitude of 165 m, is set in Ploieștilor Plain in the area between the rivers Prahova on the west and Teleajen on the East. To the northwest, the plain raises to the Carpathian hills reaching the localities Florești and Băicoi (altitude of 350 m) and to the southeast it descends to 120 m (south of Românești locality). Ploiești Plain has a

relatively high overall slope (7.5 ‰), old riverbeds abandoned, plus several knobs (mounds), scattered throughout its area. Piedmont plain consists of Quaternary sedimentary formations (sands, gravels and clays) similar to the deposits from Frătești where maximum thickness of 60 m and the presence of basal clay layer is favouring the presence of large reserves of good quality groundwater which provide the units located in the industrial polygon Ploiești Vest (Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company and Interbrew Romania). The northern sector of the analyzed area includes two rows of Carpathian hills (Mălăeşti Hill with maximum altitude of 533 m) which are separated by the depression corridor Mislea-Podeni Depression (partially administrated by the Dumbrăveşti township). External Carpathian hills correspond to anticlinal structures (Ţintea hills with 403 m and Găgeni hills with 337 m and Bucovelului Hills with 406 m). The area of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova is in a temperate-continental climate (the average annual temperature 10⁰C-10.5ºC, an average maximum in July between 21⁰ and 22⁰C and an average minimum in January ranged from -2.5⁰C to -3⁰C; precipitation varies between recorded values of 590 mm / year (in the south, in Românești) and 750 mm / year (in the north); the main winds are the ones coming from the northeast (15.8%) and N (13, 3%). The local föehn –type wind, hot and dry, forming in the southern slopes of Prahova Subcarpathians under the influence of the western and north-western atmospheric circulation, gives gentle character to winters, increase in the number of sunny days, the average temperature higher than normal, which represents a competitive advantage for the vine crops in Dealu Mare vineyard (one of the largest and most renowned in the country). Due to the peculiarities of the relief, climate and soil, the vegetation present all around the growth pole has a number of local features given by the forest area with the presence of quercines and the higher hills have forests of oak (Quercus petraea). Fauna, which is in recourse, is typical for the forest steppe zone and oak forests (rodents, fox, wolf, deer, wild boar, quail, partridge etc.). In the metropolitan area the soils that we can find are the ones from the clay-alluvial class and reddish-brown-clay soils, successfully used for cereals, vegetables, industrial crops, fodder crops, vine and tree crops (Valea Călugărească vineyard, apple and pear in the orchards in Băicoi).

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Some elements of the geobotanic or forest domain are also of particular scientific value: the protected area of Plopeni Forest- recently declared as part of the European Ecological Network Nature 2000, with an area of 91 ha, with the relief features of high plain (279 m altitude) from the continental biogeographically region; the Păuleşti Nature Reserve, a protected area of national interest (40 ha), secular oaks near the Ghighiu monastery. The range of underground resources is limited to exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons (oil and gas in areas Băicoi-Țintea, Boldești-Scăieni) construction materials (clays for ceramics, quarry stone). Significant reserves of salt, lower coal, limestone, sandstone, gypsum, mineral waters in the can be found in the vicinity of the metropolitan area. The evolution of demographic indices such as the number and density of population, territorial distribution, the structure of the population by sex, age, place of residence or socio-economic structure, highlights the demographic configuration of the Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, much changed since 1992 mainly due to the transformation of the political, economic system and social life, but also the mentality of the population. Declining birth rate in the Ploiești municipality and the increased mortality and emigration, led the stable population on a downward trend, decreasing during 1992-2002 by 20,263 people. Subsequently, due to the increase of living and education standards, reform of the health sector, decreasing trend has been reduced, so that between 2002 and 2008, decrease in population was only of 1,812 persons.

The trend of decreasing number of population, registered at the level of the main urban centre of the South-Muntenia manifests itself within the metropolitan area, but at slightly lower values. For the urban area, the lowest rates were registered at Boldești-Scăieni (2,3%), and for the rural area the highest demographic growth from 1992 (8%) have been known by the Ariceștii Rahtivani and Târgșoru Vechi townships.

Due to the natural movement population and its migration, the average density in Prahova county is decreasing, from 185.4 loc/km2 in 1992 at 176 loc/km2 in 2002 and 174 loc/km2 in 2008 [6]. The most densely inhabited area is represented by Ploiești municipality, the urban centre of the growth pole, with a density of 3950 loc/km2 in 2008, decreasing from 2004, when the average density was 3990 loc/km2. Regarding the population density, at the growth pole level, there are recording significant differences between rural and urban area, between higher hilly areas with higher degree of forest coverage and those located along the valley corridors or axes of movement. The highest values of population density meet on the axis formed by the villages of Valea Călugărescă-Bucov-Ploiești-Păulești-Băicoi. Population dynamics is determined by the combination of two major demographic phenomena: the natural movement of population (imposed at its turn by the variation in time of some indicators such as birth rate, mortality, natural increase) and territorial mobility of the population.

Table 2 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova - population on localities 1 July 2008 Locality Administrative Unit Population Masculine Feminine Ploiești Municipality of I

grade 230.640

108.429 122.211 Băicoi City 19.669 9.574 10.095

Boldești-Scăieni City 11.327 5.547 5.780 Plopeni City 9.623 4.729 4.894

Ariceștii Rahtivani Township 8.284 4.130 4.154 Bărcănești Township 9.478 4.598 4.880

Berceni Township 6.100 3.061 3.039 Blejoi Township 8.1.51 3.945 4.206 Brazi Township 8.354 4.091 4.263 Bucov Township 10.788 5.258 5.530

Dumbrăvești Township 3.732 1.853 1.879 Păulești Township 5.260 2.532 2.728

Târgșoru Vechi Township 9.182 4.638 4.544 Valea Călugărească Township 10.520 5.095 5.425

TOTAL 351.108 167.480 183.628 Source: INS, DJS Prahova

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Natural increase, at the level of the year 2008, presented negative values: -2.5‰ (birth rate 9.2‰, mortality 11.7‰) and follows the same European trend, reckoned to be a critical condition and a dangerous imbalance element for the growth pole components [6]. In terms of the structure by age group, young population (14.2% in 2008) is exceeded by the elderly population (16.0%), the adult population exceeds 2/3 (69.8%). The aging population trend is eloquent both at the level of South-Muntenia Region, as well at the national level or at European Union level. For the next decade, from the equilibrium variant forecasts there is a more pronounced decrease of the segment of population destined for professional education (age 15-24 years) and a relative strengthening of the adult population with the age of 35-55 years old, which requires a higher pressure on continuous training of adults [7]. The aging of the workforce is another trend that is manifested at the growth pole level, which will have an impact on the economic development in the metropolitan area. The population of Ploiești municipality represents 55.3% of the total urban population of Prahova county and 17.3% of the total urban population of the South-Muntenia Development Region. Urban population of the growth pole stands at 271.259 inhabitants, representing a share of 77.3% of total population [6]. Continuous decline in recent years, of the active

population, the occupied one and the number of employees, as well as the activity rates and the occupancy of population is reflected in the increase in economic dependency rate, amplifying the existing imbalances between active and inactive sector of the population, with exercising high pressures on the social security system (table 3). Economic processes developed over the past five decades (including the accelerated and exaggerated development of the industry, forced cooperativization of agriculture or the social ones-development and increasing the number of cities, attracting a large number of peasants towards urban environment etc.) have produced extensive disturbance at the level of local rural communities related to: - the trend of depopulation of rural localities (in 80% of the number of townships, the population has been declining over the past 25 years); - demographic ageing is much more evident in rural areas than in the urban one (share of the population over the age of 60 years is two times higher than that in urban areas, where the share is 11,6%); - the aging labour resources (52% of the active population has the age higher than 40 years, compared to 40% in urban areas); - the lack of a diversified palette of jobs and prevalence of specific agricultural activities in over 75% din townships; - the low level of rural localities utilities;

Table 3 Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova – active population and unemployment (2008)

Locality Active Population

Requital unemployment

Unrequital unemployment TOTAL Women

Unemployment

Rate TOTAL Women TOTAL Women Ploiești 158.015 1.141 724 603 286 1.744 1.010 1,1 Băicoi 13.106 162 75 55 24 217 99 1,7

Boldești-Scăieni 7.435 82 47 92 47 174 94 2,3

Plopeni 7.397 246 98 38 20 284 118 3,8 Ariceștii Rahtivani 5.046 35 14 50 26 85 40 1,7

Bărcănești 5.866 55 32 49 24 104 56 1,8 Berceni 3.743 26 11 12 5 38 16 1,0 Blejoi 5.130 48 27 18 10 66 37 1,3 Brazi 5.098 52 30 46 19 98 49 1,9 Bucov 6.843 32 23 37 16 69 39 1,0

Dumbrăvești 2.300 50 17 45 10 95 27 4,1 Păulești 3.265 34 13 25 8 59 21 1,8 Târgșoru

Vechi 5.379 47 23 38 18 85 41 1,6

Valea Călugărească 6.544 36 19 44 28 80 47 1,2

TOTAL 235.167 2.046 1.153 1.152 541 3.198 1.694 1,4 Source: INS, DJS Prahova

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- the building low rate of individual houses in rural localities compared to that of urban area; - poor quality of road transport infrastructure; - social-cultural services of inadequate quality, both in terms of materials and equipment as to ensure the qualified personnel.

The most important component of the active population is formed by the occupied population, the producer of goods and necessary services for the existence of local communities, an important factor in economic development. The demand for labour on the labour market, expressed by the occupied population, is determined by the phenomena development and specific processes of the economic system as well as by the demographic phenomena complexity which underline the exercised pressures of labour demand. 3.2.2 The economic potential The industrial profile of the Growth Pole Ploiești - Prahova is largely based on the branches of oil domain, respectively oil processing, the construction of machinery and equipment, research and design. To these are added other sectors of the industry where are valued both the resource materials potential, as well as that of the human resources in the metropolitan area. In this context we can mention: the production of heat and electricity to the Brazi (where the first thermal power station operates since 2012 in Romania, built by OMV Petrom with financing from the EBRD and IEB, equipped with a gas turbine with a full cycle of 860 MW installed power, able to supply around 8-9% of electricity production of the country) and Ploiești, the metallic construction and chemical equipment, the production of electrical and electronic equipment, chemical industry, wood and wood products, textiles industry and textile products, food and beverage industry (Halewood Wine Cellars, Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company and Interbrew Romania, all in Ploiești). Industrial complex profile of Ploiești, considered to be the "engine" of the metropolitan area, is strengthened by the presence of some foreign investors who have settled here the operational centre from Romania, such as: Unilever South Central Europe, Timken Romania, Petrotel-Lukoil, British American Tobacco. Within the growth pole operates the 6 industrial parks from the 10 existing parks at the county level, all aimed at creating the necessary infrastructure and necessary utilities to attract domestic and foreign investment, creating jobs and promoting sustainable regional development. Four of the six industrial parks are located in the rural area, two at Brazi and

the other two in Ariceștii Rahtivani- where is the largest industrial and logistic private park in South-East Europe with an area of 225 hectares. Along with the industrial sector, the field of constructions as known a significant development or (thanks to the real-estate boom in 2005-2008, through the emergence of residential neighbourhoods in the vicinity of the city of Ploiești, at Păulești or Bucov), services (commerce, favoured by the presence of generous spaces outside the road band, near highway A3 or even in the city limits, through supporting industrial platforms UPETROM in the South and FLACĂRA in the East, and revitalized by the presence of large chains of hyper and supermarkets with an active presence in Europe - Metro, Praktiker, Bricostore, Baumax, Decathlon, Selgros, OBI, Real, Kaufland, Billa, Lidl, Mega Image); tourism and transport domains. Location of shopping centres in balance (North-South and West-East) and close to major road arteries facilitate the access of population form other cities (Băicoi, Boldești-Scăieni, Plopeni) or townships (Ariceștii Rahtivani, Păulești, Blejoi, Bucov) components of growth pole Ploiești-Prahova. The development of transports essential condition in regional and urban planning was conditioned by the geographical position of the growth pole of economic corridor Bucharest-Brașov. This evolution of the communication and transports are both a strong territorial expansion of the urbanization process as well as an internal factor of development, facilitating the organization of urban and rural area, to ensure the fluent traffic of people and goods. The agricultural sector benefits from arable and agriculture lands with fertile soils, suitable for a diverse range of crops: cereals, vegetables for grains, oil plants, vegetables in field crops or solar systems (in the vegetable band - Bucov, Ariceștii Rahtivani, Târgșoru Vechi, Bărcănești), plus wine and fruit trees-production, concentrated in Băicoi (apple plantations), and in Dealu Mare vineyard (also known as the "Homeland of the red wines") with vineyard centre at Valea Călugărească. The vine-growing domain represents an important component of economic development, especially after the year 2004, with the launching by the Prahova County Council of the "Wine Road" project. The project, performed with the aim to harness vini-viticultural tradition of the area in the context of sustainable tourism (by wine tourism, rural tourism or cultural tourism), reedits a segment of an older wine road, used by the Romans, which

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was crossing the entire Europe, reuniting in this context, a number of localities in the metropolitan area: Băicoi, Boldești- Scăieni, Bucov, Pleașa and Valea Călugărească (with an old wine cellar since 1777, renovated and incorporated into the tourist circuit). Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova represents by its geographical position, its natural frame but also through the socio-economic characteristics one of the sites with a great capacity to support the economic growth of Prahova county and South-Muntenia Region. 4 Growth pole Ploiești-Prahova-form of cooperation for regional sustainable development Between 2001 and 2008, Romania has recorded an average economic growth of 6.3%, one of the greatest economic growths in the European Union. Despite this increase, in Romania, the effects of the crisis have been felt much more powerful than in the rest of the EU, a fact explained by unsustainable growth pattern pre crisis. Moreover, the crisis has shown just these vulnerable elements of this model of pre-crisis economic growth from Romania, model that had to be changed in order to ensure an economic growth not only healthy but also sustainable on a medium and long term. In these circumstances, the strategic planning of the poles of growth has become one of the key problems of sustainable regional development and the polycentric development may be one of the remedies for systemic approach to territorial development [1]. This theory of growth and regional development permits, at the same time, on the one hand, the balanced development of the metropolitan area of Ploiești-Prahova, and, on the other hand, the attenuation of the present imbalances within and around polarizing urban centre (Ploiești), precisely through the infusion of economic activities in the industrial parks, located in areas of cities and towns affected by the phenomena of depopulation, ageing,

unemployment, etc. (Plopeni, Ariceștii Rahtivani). In figure 3 are shown on the main factors of the location of economic activities at the level of Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, factors characterised by an uneven territorial distribution, both quantitatively and qualitatively. It is noted that the development is determined by two categories of factors: factors of external and internal development [1].

In the category of internal factors act two subgroups of factors, i.e. strength factors, where there are included the labour force (the factor closely related to space and the most variable from the geographic point of view), capital (indispensable factor for harnessing natural resources and from the metropolitan area and whose territorial distribution influence the jobs offer, functional profile of settlements, types of relationships between settlements and their characteristics), technological factor (crucial factor of change and economic development due to the major effects of the increase in labour productivity, in shaping the new economic spaces) and natural resources (natural factors or physical-geography can make significant differences in the development process), easily quantifiable factors through the advantages/disadvantages of the costs involved and the weak factors category of regional development.

This last category is represented a number of complementary factors, such as: regional structure (urbanization degree, spatial agglomeration degree, density population, density of constructions, established relations with the other regions), economic structure, infrastructure (density of communication ways and their level of development), political system (regional policy, the level of local taxes, subsidies and facilities provided by the State), the social system (quality of life, education branch, medical service, the social climate)the cultural system (cultural services, the presence of universities and research laboratories), ecological system.

Internal factors of development External factors of development

Strength Factors Weak Factors

● production factors migration ● flow of goods, services and information ● regional policy of the State and other institutions ● general business environment

● labour force ● capital ● technology ● natural resources

● regional structure ● economic structure ● infrastructure ● political system ● social system ● cultural system ● ecological system

Fig. 3 Regional development factors Source: Benedek József, 2004

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From the external factors of development, factors of migration are remarked: migration of mobile development factors (labour, capital, technology), the flow of goods, services, regional policy of the State, general business environment. Major role in attracting foreign capital and investments have the six industrial operational parks of the growth pole, where operates more than 100 economic agents. The parks are also stimulated by the general European policy guidelines in becoming "innovation poles", bringing together universities, research institutes, large and small companies, other productive organizations / service providers, fact which involves a close cooperation between public or private academic environment and the business sector, contributing to local and regional integration, reducing the differences between centre and periphery [6]. The vision development for 2025 horizon must take into consideration the major partnership role of Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova in the consolidation of a comparative advantage, provided by its strategic geographic position given by the location between two Pan-European corridors TEN-IV and TEN-IX, in the vicinity of the largest airport of the country (Otopeni-Henri Coandă International Airport), as well as in multiplication of competitive advantages by increasing location factors for residents, business and academic environment. 5 Conclusion Growth Pole Ploiești-Prahova, through its geographical position in the contact zone of Ploieştilor Plain with Curvature Subcarpathians plays an important role in outlining an axis of economic development at national level, consisting of the urban systems in Constanța, Bucharest, Ploiești, Brașov, Cluj-Napoca and Oradea. Built on an impressive industrial tradition and based on a set of favourable circumstances, the growth pole has registered from its setting the steady economic growth, superior to the national average, managing to attract a high volume of foreign investment, oriented to the various economic sectors. The establishment of industrial parks and attracting foreign investments outlined in the main area of growth pole a main area with a more sustained development (Ploiești-Blejoi-Bucov), to which are added two complementary areas-one with a great potential for formed by the (Ariceștii Rahtivani-Târgșoru Vechi-Brazi-Bărcănești) townships and another with the agro-industrial functions (Valea Călugărească, Berceni, Păulești).

Fig. 4 General view of DIBO Industrial Park – Brazi

Fig. 5 View from the DIBO Industrial Park – Brazi

Fig. 6 Ploiesti West Park Aricestii Rahtivani the

largest industrial and logistic private park in South-East Europe with an area of 225 hectares

Strategies of functional and ecological restructuring of the metropolitan area must take into account the following objectives: birth-rate recovery, reducing the mortality and increasing the average duration of life, improving the health status of the population, increasing the adaptability of the labour force in regional competition, improve the quality and efficiency of public service provision, increasing the attractiveness of rural areas and diversification of the rural economy, increasing the amount of green space per each inhabitant according

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to the European rules (30 to 40 sqm/place)the decoupling of economic growth from environmental degradation by reversing the report between the resource consumption and the creation of added value and the proximity of the performance indices of EU regarding the sustainability of consumption and production. References: [1] Benedek József, Regional planning and

regional development, Publishing House Clujeană University Press, Cluj-Napoca, 2004.

[2] Cucu Vasile, City´s geography, Cultural Foundation Publishing House „Dimitrie Bolintineanu“, Bucharest, 2001, p. 148.

[3] Ianoș Ioan, Heller Wilfried, Space, economy and settlement systems, Technical Publishing House, Bucharest, 2007.

[4] Marin Ion, Marin Marian, Europe-Regional Geography, University Publishing House, Bucharest, 2005, p.167-168.

[5] *** The Direction of Prahova statistics [6] *** Integrated development plan of Growth

Pole Ploiești-Prahova, CJ Prahova, 2nd Part, June 2009, p. 98-102.

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