National land use guidelines

National and international background

The national land use guidelines are a tool the Government uses to steer policy on land use issues that are important for the whole country. The guidelines relate to the regional and urban structure, the quality of the living environment, communication networks, the energy supply, the natural and cultural heritage and the use of natural resources.

The national land use guidelines

• are an assurance that issues of national importance are taken into consideration in regional and municipal planning and in the work of the state authorities 
• promote ecologically, economically, socially and culturally sustainable development and create preconditions for a favourable living environment
• act as an advance guidance tool in local planning in issues of national importance and promote the consistency and uniformity of advance guidance all over Finland 
• promote the implementation of international agreements in Finland
• create a basis in terms of land use for the implementation of national projects

Under the Land Use and Building Act the national land use guidelines must be taken into account and promoted in regional planning, municipal planning and the work of the state authorities.

For more information

Timo Turunen, Senior Environmental Adviser, Ministry of the Environment, Department of the Built Environment
Tel. +358 400 143 941
E-mail: firstname.surname@ymparisto.fi