Land Development By Participation
The Förrättning Procedure
By Gerhard Larsson
October 2000
The Swedish Council for Building Research
Distributed By Coronet Books 
ISBN: 9154058589
84 pages, Illustrated, 6 1/2 x 9 3/8"
$55.00 Paper Original
Closer user participation is today a cardinal objective in land development of different kinds. But at the same time the methods should both be efficient and provide ample space for public control and interest.
"Förrättning" has long been used in Sweden and Finland as a model for achieving these ends. It is characterised as a legal proceeding led by an authorised officer. After an application has been made for cadastral, facility-related or suchlike measures, he will normally meet the owners and other claim-holders on the scene, inform them of the application, discuss suitable project options and economic consequences and try to reach a consensus among the interested parties in conformity with existing law and public interests. Failing this, he will give a verdict which has the same legal status as a court judgement.
In the study the pros and cons of the "förrättning" procedure are discussed, as well as the possibilities of extending its use to new applications. In many connections it is found to be a user-friendly and efficient method, conducive to an appropriate balance between civic and public interests. It may well also be applicable in other countries.
Dr. Gerhard Larsson, Professor Emeritus of Real Estate Planning and Land Law, Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, has worked for several decades with land management problems and their legal background, including programmes in Eastern Europe and developing countries.
Urban Planning
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