Land use planning

Goals of land use planning

	Compact, low-rise housing in Espoo. Photo: Ilona Osara

The aim of land use planning is to create preconditions for a favourable living environment and promote ecologically, economically, socially and culturally sustainable development.

Land use planning system

In the last few years, Finland has reformed its land use planning system.

The new system has three levels of land use plan with a clear division of labour between them: the regional land use plan, the local master plan and the local detailed plan.

In addition, the Government defines national land use guidelines, which should be taken into account throughout the country in all land use decisions and land use planning.

The land use planning system is hierarchical; higher level plans steer lower plans. The national land use guidelines are implemented mainly through regional plans.

Regional and local plans are drawn up through participatory planning procedures, which give local residents the chance to get involved in the planning processes that affect them.

Finland's land use planning system.

For more information

Mr. Matti Vatilo, Director, Urban Development and Cultural Heritage, Ministry of the Environment
Tel. +358 40 506 1168
E-mail: firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi