Policentric development

“A polycentric spatial structure refers to the morphology of the settlement system. It assumes that a plurality of urban agglomerations of similar size exist at the various levels of the urban hierarchy, as opposed to situations where a single large urban centre dominates each level and even eliminates the presence of intermediary levels. The principle of polycentric spatial structure and development can be applied at the various geographical scales, from the European to the regional one.”\\Source: CEMAT Glossary of Key Expressions Used in Spatial Development Policies in Europe