National Planning Strategy

Introduction

At the end of October 2013 the National Planning Agency was entrusted by the Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources to commence work on a national planning strategy 2015-2026.

A national planning strategy is a tool for managing all planning in Iceland and its content, format and process are still being developed. It is expected that work on the National Planning Strategy 2015-2026 will put forward certain new initiatives while an effort will be made to further develop the work already done in the first national planning strategy 2011-2013. 

What is a National Planning Strategy?

The National Planning Strategy is created on the basis of the Planning Act. The Minister for the interior shall submit to Alþingi a proposal for a parliamentary resolution regarding a national planning strategy for a 12 year period within two years of parliamentary elections. The minister entrusts the National Planning Agency to create the proposal for a national planning strategy proposal.

The National Planning Strategy will propose a policy on planning which is intended to ensure common interests in local authority plans and to support sustainable development and efficient planning. It should also support the coordination of policy making on land use on both state and local authority levels.

The National Planning Strategy is based on the objectives presented in the Planning Act and in official plans, including government policy making on sustainability as well as analysis regarding planning and planning developments in Iceland. When applicable, the National Planning Strategy also takes into consideration local authorities‘ regional and municipal plans.

The National Planning Strategy is a policy document which is expected to be implemented primarily through local authority plans (regional plans, municipal plans and detail plans). It can also influence government programmes in specific issues concerning land use. Additionally it can entail planned projects, such as guidelines or development projects to implement certain policy objectives.

For further information see articles 10 and 11 of the Planning Act and the Regulation on the National Planning Strategy.