Miljönämndens inflytande som remissinstans i planärenden

Sammanfattning: This study reviews the influence of the Environment Board in municipal spatial planning in the city of Malmö and aims to highlight improvements in the consultation process. The municipalities are responsible for planning how land and water resources are to be used and thus central in attaining a sustainable land use and urban planning. Development plans are created by The City Planning Office and the Environmental Board is one of the respondents when such plans are submitted for comments. Using consultation documents concerning zoning (detaljplaner in Swedish), planning programs (planprogram in Swedish) and dialogue memorandums (dialog-pm in Swedish) from 2009 to 2014, I conducted a content analysis. Interviews with personnel at the administrations, completed the study. I found that during 2009-2014, comments concerning reduction of noise and other disturbances were most common, followed by traffic and mobility issues,contaminated soils and buildings, water protection and stormwater management, and preservation and development of nature sites and green spaces. At the beginning of the period, disturbance and traffic issues were predominant, but towards the end, water protection and management as well as contaminated soils and buildings were also among the most frequently commented issues. The study highlights a need to clarify what issues officials at the Environment Department are expected to pursue in planning consultations and that the submitted remarks could be more concise. The proportion of the comments, that were fully or partially met, ranged between 67 % and 78 % per year during 2009-2014. The result indicate an increase in the Board’s overall influence, since a previous review. Opinions often concurred in how to obtain good living conditions, by for example reducing noise, contaminants and attaining good air quality. Comments aiming to preserve and develop natural areas, green spaces and biodiversity were least fulfilled, compared to the other categories.