Placepoint

Planprogram

A planprogram (planning programme) is the governing framework document that describes what must be assessed in a forthcoming impact assessment for larger zoning plans, municipal master plans and municipal sub-plans. The legal basis is set out in the Planning and Building Act § 4-1 (the general duty to prepare a planning programme) and § 11-13 (preparation of a planning programme for the municipal master plan), and in the regulations on impact assessment (KU-forskriften, FOR-2017-06-21-854). The planning programme is prepared early in the process and put out for public consultation together with the planning initiative or the notice of plan start-up, so that the public, sector authorities and the municipality can influence which topics are covered before the plan work itself begins.

A planning programme is typically 20 to 60 pages and is structured around five main points: the purpose and framework for the plan work, a description of the area and the measure, which alternatives are to be considered (including the zero alternative, that is, no development), which impact topics are to be assessed (traffic, noise, air, flood zone, ground conditions, cultural heritage, outdoor recreation, social infrastructure and so on), and a schedule for assessment, consultation and adoption. Sector authorities such as Statsforvalteren, Statens vegvesen, Norges vassdrags- og energidirektorat (NVE), Miljødirektoratet and Riksantikvaren use the consultation round to point out interests that must be addressed, and the municipality adopts the final programme after the consultation.

For the developer, the planning programme is an important steering document because it sets the scope of the assessment work. A planning programme that includes many heavy topics (extensive noise and traffic modelling, full cultural environment mapping, external groundwater monitoring) can add costs in the millions to the project, while a tight and focused planning programme keeps the assessments relevant and the costs down. Experienced planners therefore spend a lot of time negotiating the programme down to the topics that are actually relevant to the decision. A broad-spectrum impact assessment is often more politically correct than useful for decision-making.

The planning programme is not the same as the plan proposal. The programme says what is to be assessed. The actual plan proposal, with zoning provisions, a plan map and an impact assessment, comes later in the process, after the programme has been adopted and the assessments have been carried out. The intermediate milestones are typically the notice of plan start-up, the start-up meeting with the municipality, consultation on the planning programme, adoption of the planning programme, preparation of the plan proposal, first reading, public review and final adoption by the municipal council. The whole process typically takes 2 to 5 years.

In Placepoint you can compare municipal master plans, zoning plans and proposed zoning plans for an area when you prepare a planning programme. Relevant neighbouring assessments, adopted plans and ongoing planning initiatives are useful context for narrowing down which impact topics are actually new for the area.

How the dataset appears on the map

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Planprogram in Placepoint

From the Placepoint dictionary: Planprogram

More information: Lovdata: Planning and Building Act § 4-1, Lovdata: Planning and Building Act § 11-13, Lovdata: KU-forskriften, Miljødirektoratet: guidance on impact assessments, Plan- og bygningsetaten Oslo

English: Planning programme (Norwegian-specific scoping document for the impact assessment of larger plans).

Common questions we come across

What is the difference between a planning programme and a plan proposal?

The planning programme says what is to be assessed: which impact topics, which alternatives, which schedule. The plan proposal is the plan itself, with a plan map, zoning provisions and a completed impact assessment. The programme is adopted first, the plan proposal comes later in the process.

When is a planning programme required?

For the land use element of the municipal master plan, for municipal sub-plans and for zoning plans with significant effects on the environment and society, see KU-forskriften. Smaller detailed zoning plans without a duty to carry out an impact assessment are exempt. The developer should clarify the duty to assess with the municipality early, because the judgement is not always obvious.

Who prepares the planning programme?

For private detailed zoning plans, the developer (typically a property developer) prepares the planning programme, often together with planners and specialist consultants. For municipal master plans and municipal sub-plans, the municipality itself runs the work. The sector authorities give input through the consultation round.

How long does consultation on the planning programme take?

A minimum of six weeks, see the Planning and Building Act § 11-13 for the land use element of the municipal master plan. For a detailed zoning plan with a duty to carry out an impact assessment, the municipality sets the deadline, but six weeks is normal practice. In practice the consultation can be extended if significant input arrives that requires new processing. The municipality collects the input and adopts a final planning programme that sets the framework for the further plan work.