“This will not be a problem in the future, when we all have electric cars” : a sustainability perspective on planning practice of external commercial areas : a case study of three municipalities in Stockholm, Sweden.
(2012) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM01 20121LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Swedish national legislation and environmental objectives state that cities should be planned in a coherent and sustainable approach, and in a way that limits the need for private cars. External commercial establishments are often brought up in the discussion of sustainable urban planning, since the locations result in urban sprawl and an increase in car traffic. This study examines how municipalities discuss the case of external commercial establishments in planning policy and how the municipalities incorporate sustainability and national environmental objectives into planning practice of commercial areas. Based on the findings, this study aims to suggest how municipalities could improve their work in sustainable urban planning. The... (More)
- Swedish national legislation and environmental objectives state that cities should be planned in a coherent and sustainable approach, and in a way that limits the need for private cars. External commercial establishments are often brought up in the discussion of sustainable urban planning, since the locations result in urban sprawl and an increase in car traffic. This study examines how municipalities discuss the case of external commercial establishments in planning policy and how the municipalities incorporate sustainability and national environmental objectives into planning practice of commercial areas. Based on the findings, this study aims to suggest how municipalities could improve their work in sustainable urban planning. The method used is a triangulation with literature analysis, in-depth semi-structured interviews, mainly with municipal planners and politicians, and document analysis of municipal planning documents such as comprehensive plans and detailed development plans in three municipalities in Stockholm County.
The study indicates that there is too much focus on economic development in commercial establishments and aspects of social and environmental sustainability are put behind. The problem is that there is a discrepancy in how municipalities discuss sustainable urban development and commercial establishments in the policy documents compared to the outcome. The concept of sustainable development is often discussed in very general terms, which results in lack of tools and measures for incorporating the concept of sustainable development in planning practice.
The conclusion is that municipalities need to define the concept of sustainable development more concrete and detailed in their policy documents to be able to have clear sustainability aims in their planning practices. Using already existing indicators connected to national environmental objectives and aims as planning tools could facilitate the work to obtain the goals. As another support to the municipals, regional planning has to develop to limit the risk of a too narrow and local planning perspective. Municipal planners also have to define their role more clearly and adapt to functioning as coordinators in a complex web of stakeholders. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/2796206
- author
- Strandfeldt, Evelina LU
- supervisor
-
- Oksana Mont LU
- organization
- course
- MESM01 20121
- year
- 2012
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- urban planning, municipalities, local governance, shopping centers, retail parks, sustainable urban development, external commercial establishments, spatial planning, planner’s triangle, sustainability conflicts, sustainability science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2012:020
- language
- English
- additional info
- Supervisor: Professor Oksana Mont, International Institute for Industrial Environmental Economics (IIIEE).
- id
- 2796206
- date added to LUP
- 2012-06-21 01:13:54
- date last changed
- 2012-11-26 10:27:04
@misc{2796206,
abstract = {{Swedish national legislation and environmental objectives state that cities should be planned in a coherent and sustainable approach, and in a way that limits the need for private cars. External commercial establishments are often brought up in the discussion of sustainable urban planning, since the locations result in urban sprawl and an increase in car traffic. This study examines how municipalities discuss the case of external commercial establishments in planning policy and how the municipalities incorporate sustainability and national environmental objectives into planning practice of commercial areas. Based on the findings, this study aims to suggest how municipalities could improve their work in sustainable urban planning. The method used is a triangulation with literature analysis, in-depth semi-structured interviews, mainly with municipal planners and politicians, and document analysis of municipal planning documents such as comprehensive plans and detailed development plans in three municipalities in Stockholm County.
The study indicates that there is too much focus on economic development in commercial establishments and aspects of social and environmental sustainability are put behind. The problem is that there is a discrepancy in how municipalities discuss sustainable urban development and commercial establishments in the policy documents compared to the outcome. The concept of sustainable development is often discussed in very general terms, which results in lack of tools and measures for incorporating the concept of sustainable development in planning practice.
The conclusion is that municipalities need to define the concept of sustainable development more concrete and detailed in their policy documents to be able to have clear sustainability aims in their planning practices. Using already existing indicators connected to national environmental objectives and aims as planning tools could facilitate the work to obtain the goals. As another support to the municipals, regional planning has to develop to limit the risk of a too narrow and local planning perspective. Municipal planners also have to define their role more clearly and adapt to functioning as coordinators in a complex web of stakeholders.}},
author = {{Strandfeldt, Evelina}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
title = {{“This will not be a problem in the future, when we all have electric cars” : a sustainability perspective on planning practice of external commercial areas : a case study of three municipalities in Stockholm, Sweden.}},
year = {{2012}},
}