Metropolregion Rhein-Neckar

The overall spatial planning takes place at several planning levels and is spatially graduated. These levels can be regarded as being administrative levels within the state hierarchy that are concerned with spatial planning. The European, federal, state, regional and municipal levels are relevant to the overall spatial planning. The task areas, scales and possible scope of the plans vary; generally speaking, the scope and detail of the plans devised by the lower planning levels is greater than at the higher levels.

In relationship to the individual planning levels, a hierarchical principle is applied according to which a subordinate plan may not contradict a higher-ranking plan, while at the same time the interests of the subordinate planning levels are to be taken into consideration when preparing the higher-ranking plans and programmes (the so-called "counterflow principle").