Futures-oriented municipal planning

Amid the current political and economic uncertainties, the long-term perspective in municipal planning in Sweden has been shortened and planning has become more like crisis management. This paper presents a model for municipal futures studies that may contribute toward development of a municipal planning system that can adapt itself to different types of sudden change while still taking long-term welfare goals and resource conservation issues into consideration. So far, models in futures studies have been largely developed to study global and national development. The article therefore places special emphasis on the methodological issues of developing a model for municipal futures studies. The aim of the model is to increase strategic thinking by planners and decision-makers; it requires that futures studies and conventional planning activities be closely integrated. The model is in the process of implementation in the municipality of Västerås. Some features of the model will also be integrated into a futures study of urban housing to be undertaken in the municipality of Umeå.