The structural picture is a support when the future of Norrbotten is shaped
Developments in Norrbotten in recent years have put urban planning in the county's municipalities under heavy pressure. A long series of large-scale industrial and mining developments are to be planned. At the same time, expectations for Region Norrbotten as an actor in urban planning have increased. Can the new structure provide support and guidance in challenging times?
The industrial transition in Norrbotten does not just involve planning industrial land. The municipalities must plan for everything that is required for a sustainable and functioning society. Housing, transport infrastructure, public services and much more. A challenge for any municipality – and the municipalities in Norrbotten are mostly small with limited resources.
– Right now we see both courage and commitment from our municipalities. They are taking great responsibility and risk to ensure that the green social transition is achieved and implemented in the best and most sustainable way possible based on local opportunities. It is important that we, from a regional perspective, have the same courage and commitment to social planning issues, says Johannes Sundelin (S), chairman of the regional development committee in the Norrbotten Region.
Important connections and routes
Region Norrbotten has therefore developed a proposal for a regional structural image – a tool that will provide better overview and coordination in planning. The structural image is a kind of map that shows important connections and routes in the county. Since Norrbotten, as the only Swedish county, has a land border with both Norway and Finland, the map also reflects these connections.
– The strong relations with Norway and Finland permeate the regional work. We share physical infrastructure, public transport, workforce and outdoor areas and have social and cultural ties between us, says Maja Nordmark, strategist at Region Norrbotten.
Maja Nordmark, strategist at the business and society unit at Region Norrbotten. Photo: Simon Eliasson.
The structural picture is intended to support the work of both the municipalities and the region. It will also facilitate dialogue with state authorities and neighboring countries. The structural picture will also promote dialogue on spatial planning and contribute to better interaction between urban and rural areas.
– We have gone from doing very little work with community planning to now having a structural picture, a digital mapping tool and an internal organization that focuses on these issues, says Maja Nordmark.
Strengthen local perspectives
The work on the structural picture has been carried out in collaboration with the municipalities' master planners and the network Samplanering Norrbotten, which includes the Association of Municipalities, the Swedish Transport Administration, the Public Transport Authority and the County Administrative Board. The goal has been to produce a proposal that is based on political decisions that have already been made and the municipalities' own development plans. It has been important to strengthen local perspectives.
The proposal has recently been out for consultation with various stakeholders in the county. The views received will now be processed and integrated. During the consultation period, a new digital mapping tool was also tested where users could explore the proposal interactively.
Once the proposal has been processed based on the comments received, the structural picture will be determined by the regional development committee in the Norrbotten Region.
– This is a starting point for our regional community planning work. The structural picture places the regional development strategy in geography. It may not be the entire solution to our challenges, but it is a good start, says Johannes Sundelin.
Johannes Sundelin, chairman of the regional development committee. Photo: Simon Eliasson.
The region sees the structural picture as a living document that will be updated every four years, in parallel with the regional development strategy. The ambition is that it will become a clear support for future priorities and show the way for the county's development.
– This work has given us many new insights. We have begun to highlight strategic issues that were previously not as clear in our organization, says Maja Nordmark.
