National guidelines and planning functions

Planning at the regional and local level shall take place within the framework of national policy, and be an effective tool for coordination between sectors and administrative levels. Every fourth year, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development shall therefore prepare a document outlining the Government's expectations for regional and municipal planning. The expectations are adopted by the King in Council. This document shall form the basis for the work on regional and municipal planning strategies, which shall be prepared by county authorities and municipalities at the beginning of each electoral term.

• Nasjonale forventninger til regional og kommunal planlegging 2023–2027

Central government planning guidelines are used to clarify nationally important planning topics, and are adopted by the King in Council. Central government planning guidelines shall be clear on the goals and values that are to be used as a basis for planning and how various interests and considerations are to be safeguarded and balanced. Central government planning guidelines can be both thematically and geographically delimited. Central government planning guidelines are often abbreviated in Norwegian as SPR, and were previously called national policy guidelines (RPR).

Currently there are the following central government planning guidelines.

Central government planning guidelines (Lovdata) (In norwegian)

• Statlige planretningslinjer for differensiert forvaltning av strandsonen langs sjøen (2021)
• Statlige planretningslinjer for klima- og energiplanlegging og klimatilpasning (2018)
• Statlige planretningslinjer for samordnet bolig-, areal- og transportplanlegging (2014)
• Rikspolitiske retningslinjer for barn og planlegging (1995)
• Rikspolitiske retningslinjer for vernede vassdrag (1994)

Central government planning provisions are legally binding provisions for planning that have been adopted by the King in Council. Central government planning provisions may stipulate that within specified geographical areas, or throughout the whole country, specified building or construction projects cannot be implemented without the consent of the Ministry.

Central government planning provisions take precedence over older land-use plans and are intended to prevent such plans from being used as a basis for carrying out unwanted development. There are currently no central government planning provisions.

The central government land-use plan is used when the implementation of important state or regional development, construction or conservation projects makes it necessary, or when other social considerations so require. A central government land-use plan can be prepared either as a municipal sub-plan or zoning plan. A central government land-use plan is an exceptional scheme and is used when it is not expected that the ordinary planning will produce an outcome that the central government can accept.

When considering such plans, the Ministry takes over the municipal council's authority to adopt the plan. Central government land-use plans are prepared in close collaboration with the municipalities they concern and with the affected sector authorities, according to the same planning processes that apply to municipal land-use plans.

Many central government land-use plans apply to the development of national infrastructure such as roads and railways, but they can also be prepared for other nationally important projects.