Suburbanisation's impact on local government: New spatial management roles and challenges in the suburbs today

Suburbanisation is the central force in urban development today. It is particularly impactful in post-socialist countries where its significant momentum and chaotic effects pose challenges to local governance. Although suburbanisation is a well-established field of research, the novelty of this study lies not in reiterating suburban growth itself, but in examining its impact on local governance in suburban municipalities of a post-socialist metropolitan region. The article aims to scrutinise the dynamics of suburbanisation in municipalities adjacent to Kraków and evaluate its effect on governance in the economic, environmental, and societal contexts. The study combines statistical and spatial analyses with surveys conducted among local residents and local authorities, confronting social perceptions with institutional assessments. The results indicate highly dynamic suburbanisation, land cover transformation, pressure towards new infrastructure, and social conflicts, which hinder municipal governance. They also show that the duration of residence significantly differentiates perceptions of suburbanisation-related problems and expectations towards local authorities. By providing evidence from a post-socialist institutional context, the study contributes to international comparative discussions on the diversity of suburbanisation and local governance models. The conclusions emphasise the necessity of implementing integrated and flexible management, reinforcing planning and participatory instruments that support sustainable development, and improving the quality of life.