Implementing Collaborative Planning in the Swedish Mountains – The Case of Vilhelmina

Abstract

Critical appraisals have stressed the need for participation and social learning in spatial planning, and planning is now seen as a process of innovative collaboration by multiple actors. During such "collaborative planning", various parties try to develop new inclusive strategies through dialog. Collaborative planning is a major strand of current planning theory and highlights the need for new methods that involve citizen participation. In Sweden, the realization of collaborative planning in practice remains elusive, and research on the subject is limited, so further studies are needed. Thus, in the project "Green planning: Vilhelmina as a testbed for innovative land use planning in the mountain region", we tested and implemented methods for involving citizens and other land-use stakeholders in the process of developing Vilhelmina municipality's comprehensive plan (MCP). This paper presents lessons learned from that process and data obtained from a set of focus groups, a workshop, surveys, and personal communication. From these activities in the Swedish mountain region, we learned that collaborative practices have both pros and cons that must be addressed for practical realization of the widely embraced ideal of collaborative planning.

The Institutionalisation of Sami Interest in Municipal Comprehensive Planning: A Comparison Between Norway and Sweden

“…Data pertaining to Vilhelmina are drawn from observations and written documentation from focus groups with representatives of Sami interests who worked on the vision and priorities for the municipality's new MCP. For a detailed description of the participatory planning process and role of the research team, see Bjärstig, Thellbro, Zachrisson, and Svensson (2018a). These data were complemented by political referrals and statements (see Appendix for a detailed summary of the empirical material).…”