| The purpose of town planning is to regulate the usage and construction of land. When a plan is drawn up it includes plans of where for example residential areas, workplaces, park and garden areas, and traffic will be placed in the city. Town planning is divided into different planning levels. The more general plan directs how the more precise levels can be planned.
The Master plan is the overall scheme over land usage and traffic arrangements. The plan covers the whole city and directs planning on the more detailed level. The Master plan can also be drawn up to direct land usage and construction in a certain area on the level of the Local plan.
The Local plans examine the whole city more precisely than the Master plan. The Local plan contains planned locations for functions like living, work and recreation. The Local plan will later direct the more detailed plan for the area, the detailed plan level, which usually is carried out in zones. The planning and the construction in larger projects can take 10-20 years.
The Detailed plan level, and changes made in the plan, creates the preconditions for construction. The plan regulates for what purpose a certain piece of land can be used and how much can be built on it. The regulations also consider the height of buildings, the width of streets and other matters that will affect on the structure and the townscape of the area. Construction can start when the plan has been approved by the town council and has reached legal validity. The planning process usually lasts at least a year, but can also take several years. |
