The Concept for the Development of a Functional Area Illustrated by the Case of the Functional Area of the Oder Communes

The aim of this article is to present the essence of a functional area as a new tool of the EU regional policy and the course of designing an integrated approach to the development of the functional area. The study is a case study and relates to the methodical process of creating a development concept for the Functional Area of Oder Communes (FAOC). This article is based on the analysis of the domestic and foreign literature on regional development and own experiences and reflections of authors resulting from the work in the team for the development of a strategy for this area. The analysis of domestic and foreign literature allowed for presenting a new paradigm of the local development. The current approach is characterized by a focus on the use of endogenous potentials and territorial targeting of the development, which promotes the creation of functional and spatial structures such as functional areas. Their development requires integrated development planning that provides benefits both in the social and economic dimension. The study presents the new paradigm of the local development in the context of the National Spatial Development Concept 2030. The study presents the theoretical and practical basis for creating a concept for integrated development of a functional area.