regions: Smooth and cost-effective planning to be secured in a possible reform of the Act on Territorial Use
The Finnish regions take a position on the Land Use Act and appeal to the future government that any legislative reform must be based on updating and supplementing the current, effective Act. The regional statement has been made available to the government negotiators. If a legislative reform is implemented, it must be based on real, identified needs and challenges, and on tried and tested case-law. The reform must focus on streamlining and streamlining zoning in cooperation within the current planning system, the statement states. This will also allow for the prompt promotion of the investments and projects required for the green transition. The Construction Act and the Act on the Information System for the Built Environment have already been adopted on the comprehensive reform of the Land Use and Building Act. The remaining part of the whole is now the Land Use Act. The role of the regional plan in the legislative reform must be strengthened, not weakened. The regional plan is the only plan level in much of Finland. It is an agile planning tool that enables new land use, reconciles conflicts of interest and enables projects such as the green transition. The regional land use plan solves difficult issues concerning the use of land that municipal authorities and even cross the regional borders, and which individual municipalities cannot address in cooperation within the scope of their competence. Municipal land use planning resources vary greatly, and the regional land use plan as a planning tool compensates for this imbalance. At the moment, there are not enough personnel available for land use planning and the preparation of reports and decisions, either in municipalities, regions, the state or consultants. Solutions to this need to be found urgently, the statement calls for. There are serious concerns about the availability of skilled labour in the counties, as the issue of personnel is a key bottleneck for streamlining planning processes. In addition, the statement summarises that the legislative reform concerning zoning, national land use targets and the planning system must be taken forward in close cooperation in cooperation with municipal and regional zoning experts, while respecting regional and municipal democracy. Read the regional statement. Further information: vs. Region Mayor Markus Erkkilä tel. +358 40 685 4045
