Second homes: from family project to tourist destination – planning and policy issues

Second homes in Norway were traditionally dispersed within amenity-rich landscapes and natural environments. However, as the stock and demand for higher standards and contemporary infrastructure increased, awareness of extensive land use became more intrusive and triggered calls for national policy interventions to restrain and steer further development. This paper delves into the trajectory of second-home development in Norway over recent decades, specifically focusing on nine mountain villages. This paper is based on secondary research data spanning from 1970 to the present derived from national statistics, previous studies, documents and relevant literature and presents the following key findings: a) The emergence of new second homes is increasingly evident in well-established tourist destinations, evolving into full-fledged “mountain villages” and occurring in a limited, yet prominently visible number of locations; b) Rather than advocating for nationwide restrictions on second-home development and the construction justified with dense development in limited locations, a more effective approach involves placing greater emphasis on the local context resulting in more tailored developments to facilitate benefits while mitigating adverse impacts.