Using contracts to promote sustainable complex urban projects

In addition to public law and legislation, local authorities may use contracts to promote the sustainable development of urban projects. Contracts provide a formal way of defining a more dynamic, flexible and collaborative process of working than is possible with public law procedures. This paper discusses two major urban redevelopment projects the Zuidas project in Amsterdam and Battery Park City in New York City. The paper focuses on the way that contracts are used in two distinct legal environments to promote public goals. It reflects on the question of whether authorities seeking to promote sustainability must implement legislation that lays out the general responsibilities of developers in relation to sustainable development, for example in the form of a development code, or whether it might be better to use contracts that provide room for flexible solutions. The paper discusses the ways in which contracts may ensure sustainable design and development.