In its political platform, the government aims to simplify the planning process by harmonizing the Planning and Building Act and sector laws. The evaluation of the planning part of the Planning and Building Act (EVAPLAN) showed that the Act mainly works as intended, but that the practice of the Act can be improved. To investigate this further, Oslo Economics, on behalf of the Ministry of Local Government and Modernization (KMD), has carried out a survey and analysis of the practical coordination between planning according to the Planning and Building Act and the Aquaculture Act, the Minerals Act and the Aviation Act.
The report shows that most actors experience that the practical coordination as a general rule works well within the three sector areas. The planning part of the Planning and Building Act is a process law, where the purpose of the law is to facilitate information sharing, coordination and dialogue between societal interests and administrative levels. The main challenge with the processes for coordination is that there is no simple mechanism for being able to prioritize between interests when politically adopted societal goals are in conflict with each other. This leads to conflicts of interest that are challenging to resolve through practical coordination in accordance with the Planning and Building Act.
We also find that local participation in planning processes has a conflict-reducing effect and that transparent planning processes are of great importance in meeting any practical challenges that arise. We also find that competence and knowledge are important prerequisites for effective coordination, and that it is a challenge that the planning competence varies greatly between municipalities. There are also some challenges associated with the accumulation of information and decision time to ensure good coordination between societal interests.
The report can be read here .
