ABSTRACT
An area of interest to marine planners in the coastal region of Poland throughout the socialist era was the ‘rational development of the area’. The Instytut Morski had played an important part in defining the agglomerations of Gdansk-Gdynia and Szczecin-Swinoujscie as maritime industrial centres, largely determined by the existing and expanding port infrastructure, their transport and communications infrastructure, and their hinterland connections. Meanwhile the role of the environment was little considered until the 1970s when the Polish ports and shipping industry was forced by increased international legislation to take note of pollution caused by Polish vessels. This chapter attempts to examine the role of development planning in the region during the socialist period and the complex relationship that existed between the ideals of the state, industrial growth and the environment.
