Jordbruksmark eller hållbar stadsutveckling? : En undersökning av jordbruksmarkens status inom fysisk planering i Västerbottens, Norrbottens och Stockholms län

The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of agricultural land within nine municipalities. It was carried out through an assignment from LRF – The Federation of Swedish Farmers, which led to this report. The questions at issue were as follows; 1. How has the development and use of agricultural land seen historically and in the future in Sweden and in Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Stockholm? 2. What status does agricultural land have in the national legislation? 3. What status does agricultural land have in practice in local community planning? 4. What are the differences between conditions and conflicts in urban communities and sparsely populated rural communities, in the regions of Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Stockholm? The method of the study was made through 17 phone interviews with informants from the nine municipalities and the municipality groups from LRF. The result showed that the development and use of agricultural land is mostly negligible within the investigated municipalities, through reduced farmland, which decrease due to urban expansion. The status of agricultural land is considered to be high within many of the municipalities, but low according to most of the informants from LRF. Legislation is showed to not be enough to protect the agricultural land, and the agricultural land is in conflict with the municipalities' willingness to expand, and develop sustainable and attractive cities