Policy makers and experts from across the Nordic Region met in Kristiansand, Norway, on 18–19 May to discuss how land use, housing and mobility policies can better support sustainable and liveable communities. The meeting is part of the Nordic Thematic Group on Land Use, Prioritisation and Planning (TG3), hosted by Nordregio.
Discussing shared challenges
The discussions focused on a set of very practical questions: how to provide enough housing without increasing pressure on nature areas, how to improve mobility in growing cities, and how to plan for ageing populations and changing settlement patterns. A recurring theme was that these challenges cannot be addressed separately, as decisions on land use directly shape both housing supply and transport needs.
Welcoming participants, Arne Thomassen, Mayor of Agder County Council, underlined the shared nature of these challenges across the Nordic Region:
“We are all working with the same fundamental questions – how to use land in a smart and sustainable way, how to provide safe and good housing, and how to ensure mobility for people. These issues are closely linked, and Nordic cooperation gives us the opportunity to learn from each other’s experiences.”
Learning from local experiences
The participants also learned more about the ongoing initiatives and developments in Kristiansand and Agder through presentations and site visits. Ragnar Evensen, Director of City Development in Kristiansand, shared an overview of the Harbour Area Project Lagmannsholmen. Hans Munksgaard, Project leader in Agder fylkeskommune introduced Byvekstavtalen/Growth Agreement for the Kristiansand Region. The group also explored the harbour area and new developments on foot on walking tour and visited to Kunstsilo, an art museum and a local landmark.
Nordic collaboration towards new insights
In addition to the insights from Kristiansand and Agder, the participants exchanged experiences from different Nordic contexts. They also discussed updates on the thematic group’s ongoing projects, including work on:
- No Net Land Take and alternative nature positive strategies
- How Nordic housing and land use systems shape affordable housing development
- Age-friendly mobility for socially sustainable cities and regions
The meeting is part of the Nordic co-operation Programme for Regional Development and Planning 2025–2030 under the Nordic Council of Ministers, with Nordregio acting as secretariat.
