A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Emerging vacuums of strategic planning: an exploration of reforms in Finnish spatial planning
Authors: Hytönen Jonne, Ahlqvist Toni
Publisher: Routledge
Publication year: 2019
Journal: European Planning Studies
Journal name in source: European Planning Studies
Volume: 27
Issue: 7
First page : 1350
Last page: 1368
Number of pages: 19
ISSN: 0965-4313
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09654313.2019.1580248(external)
The paper offers a theory-based evaluation of the ongoing reforms in the Finnish spatial planning regime. The paper argues that Finnish planning is moving in a reactive and market-driven direction. This development is not being brought about solely through a direct decrease in public discretionary powers in planning, but is also unfolding indirectly through a process of rescaling in the spatial planning regime. These processes increase municipal autonomy in relation to other planning scales, despite problems observed in the municipality-centred market-driven planning orientation. The resulting reduction in manoeuvring room in public planning is conceptualized in the paper as expanding vacuums of strategic planning. Building on concepts from the literature on state transformation theory and scale theory, the paper draws together theoretical and empirical conclusions from several case studies conducted in close-to-administration projects.