| Summary: | In this thesis the use of a general plan as a tool in strategic planning is investigated. The case study for this research is the general plan for North-Eastern Finland, covering the town of Kuusamo and the municipal districts of Posio, Salla, and Taivalkoski. This general plan is part of the joint regional development strategy for the area. When officially approved, the general plan becomes legally effective as the joint municipal general plan. In the future, this plan will direct and promote joint working between the districts when making their own land use plans, as well as strengthening cooperation in the region as a whole. As laid out by the Land Use and Building Act, the System of Land Use Planning is a multileveled planning hierarchy. Each level in the hierarchy has its own defined functions and level of detail. Plans also direct the definition of functions in subsequent levels. The strategic general plan is not officially recognised in the Land Use and Building Act. In the thesis the position of less detailed general plans in the System of Land Use Planning and their influence in directing other existing municipal plans is investigated. The possibilities for using the joint municipal general plan in implementing regional development are also investigated. According to the System of Land Use Planning, plans cannot direct other plans existing on the same planning level, although certain well-defined exceptions are allowed. Although in practice municipalities are directed by plans, this direction is not legally binding. This reduces the impact of general plans in regional cooperation. The plan implements strategy only as far as the various cooperating parties have committed to follow it. If the level of commitment decreases, this can weaken the strategy. The scope of application of the Land Use and Building Act is regulation of land use planning and construction. Although the spirit of the Act is to aid regional development, it does not legally direct this development, and as a result regional development ...
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