Ambitions and realities in Norwegian regional planning

Abstract

The article illustrates how regional planning processes in Norway are performed under the terms of the Planning and Building Act, considering the communicative turn in planning theory. It also analyses the coordination of nature management, regulated by the Nature Conservation Act, with regional planning and development. Discourse analysis is used and the story-lines, the discourse coalitions and the emblematic issues in planning and conservation are identified. It is concluded that planning in practice is quite different from the prevailing, theoretical understanding of regional planning. Nature management and regional planning are performed through separate, uncoordinated processes.

Acknowledgements

The author is indebted to Tor Arnesen at the Eastern Norway Research Institute and Jørund Aasetre at the Nord-Trøndelag Research Institute for helpful comments, to three anonymous referees for very constructive remarks and to Richard Binns who has improved the English.