Theoretical and institutional foundations of regulatory support for rural territorial spatial planning at the local level

The article examines the theoretical and methodological foundations of institutional support for the local regulatory framework as a key factor in the spatial planning and sustainable development of rural territories. The relevance of the topic is determined by the ongoing transformation of land relations in Ukraine, the deepening of decentralization processes, the strengthening role of territorial communities (hromadas) in the system of land resource management, and the pressing need for rural territory recovery in the context of post-war development. The purpose of the study is to substantiate scientific approaches to the formation and integration of local regulatory legal acts into the spatial planning system at the level of territorial communities. The research employs systemic, comparative, and analytical methods, as well as modelling, which ensured the comprehensiveness of the study, accounted for the multilevel nature of spatial development regulation, and enabled a comparison of domestic practice with the approaches applied in European Union member states. The author's conceptual model of institutional support for the local-level regulatory framework is proposed, reflecting the interaction between the state and local levels of regulation and identifying the key institutional linkages and mechanisms for harmonizing regulatory documents of different hierarchical levels. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of a conceptual model structured according to regulatory-legal, institutional, information-analytical, and functional blocks. The influence of the regulatory environment on the economic, social, and environmental indicators of territorial community development is substantiated, in particular through enhanced efficiency of land resource use, improved managerial decision-making, and the assurance of spatial development sustainability. The practical significance of the findings lies in their applicability by local self-government bodies in the development of comprehensive spatial development plans and local land use regulations.Received: 10.07.2026;Accepted: 12.08.2026;