Handling Tensions in the ‘Everyday Landscape’: Moving beyond the Development—Conservation Conflict?

Abstract

This paper brings new insight on practices that enable planning processes concerning urban green landscapes (everyday landscapes) to move beyond the somewhat deadlocked conflict between conservation and development. The empirical basis is four planning processes in Norway and Sweden illuminating the following research questions: How is the tension between densification and conservation in everyday landscapes handled in concrete planning processes? Is it possible to identify practices that create opportunity for viable compromises between development and conservation interests? The analysis identifies the core position of expert knowledge in creating a basis for compromise in political processes. Furthermore, green structure as a coherent and basic entity in planning is emerging as a decisive force in local discourse held by the civil society, public authorities, and developers alike. I argue that these elements contribute to create viable compromises on the future development of everyday landscapes, thus functioning as building bricks in creating more agonistic planning practices.