SEA IN THE CONTEXT OF LANDTUSE PLANNING

during 2007 (www.regeringen.se/sb/d/8906, Ministry of the Environment’s website,accessed 25 May 2007). The governmental inquiry examines the structure and decision ofresponsibility between the state, the county administrative boards and the municipalities, aswell as the relation between the government and state authorities.4.6.4 Revision in relation to SEAThe implementation of EC requirements for SEA was identified as an important aspect ofthe revision of the PBA from the start of the work (Kommittédirektiv 2002:97). According tothe directive that sets out the committee’s work, the starting point for the revision is that theSwedish regulations shall be formed in such a way that the EC requirement are clearlyfulfilled, but at the same time the directive shall as far as possible be implemented into theexisting framework and shall not exceed the directive’s minimum requirements (2002:97).Furthermore, duplication of requirements and processes shall be avoided. In the interimreport published in 2005, the view of integrating SEA into the planning processes withminimum disruption was further strengthened.4.6.5 Studies of the Swedish planning system.In the context of land use planning in Sweden, planning or spatial development policysystems are characterised by three main factors; the lack of statutory spatial plans at thenational or regional levels, the strong position of municipal development plans and the highdegree of sector orientation (Böhme 2002). This includes that there is no statutory spatialplanning at the national level and the main responsibility for land use planning lies with themunicipalities. Thereby, the governments’ and national interest with regard to sustainabledevelopment and land use is fulfilled by the municipalities through the preparation ofcomprehensive development plans and detailed development plans.At the same time, the committee working with the revision of the PBA identified in itsfinal report (SOU 2005:77) that the role of comprehensive municipal plans as a strategicinstrument needed to be enhanced. Furthermore, the uncertainty regarding the level ofresponsibility laid upon the municipalities and their responsibility for performing the tasksintroduced by the PBA were among the main challenges of the Swedish planning system. Thefindings from the committee included that the contents and levels of revision varied in thedifferent municipalities, which illustrated a need to increase the incentive for continuouscomprehensive planning. Furthermore, a more simplified planning process and the possibilityfor more simplified plans that could be adjusted to different aims and objectives is needed.The changing role of land use planning has also been acknowledged in national studies on theplanning systems, e.g. in an anthology by Christoferson, I, (ed), 2001, a study based uponsurvey among municipal planning authorities carried out by the Swedish Association of LocalAuthorities (Kommunförbundet, now Sveriges kommuner och länsting) in 2004 and a studyby Swedish National Audit Office (Riksrevisionen) in 2005 that reviewed the work carried outby the National Board of Building and Planning and the County Administrative Boards onsupervision and surveillance of the physical planning in Sweden. Furthermore, Khakee (2000)provides a thorough examination of Swedish planning system. According to Khakee thechanges in the planning system reflect the fundamental changes that the Swedish society hasencountered during the last decades. Among the changes is a move from the rational viewthat has provided the grounds for planning theory and practice that has being replaced by acommunicative perspective where the participation in the planning process is the main focus.In 2006 the National Board of Building and Planning conducted a questionnaire surveyamong Swedish planning authorities to get a picture of the status of municipal comprehensiveplanning activity in the country and a general picture of the trends and problems of applyingthe plan and building act (Boverket, 2008). The study a great variation in the level of activityand the up-to-date of the existing municipal plans. Despite an increase in preparation of58