MUNICIPALITY OF HELSINGBORG, SWEDEN
Program Name
The South in Transition
Municipal Profile
Population: 119,406
Budget: US$533 million
Land Area: 346 square kilometers
Economic Activities: trade and communications
Environmental Expertise: environmental management systems
Issue Addressed
Land Use Management
Key Management Concept
By engaging residents in less-developed areas of a municipality, a viable urban renewal plan can be created that is attractive to business and promotes sustainable community development.
Program Goals
The goal of the South in Transition is to make the southern district of Helsingborg more attractive in order to encourage business development, improve environmental quality, and improve the area's social cohesion. The renewal will be carried out to avoid gentrification and respect both the cultural and environmental needs of the citizenry.
Program Abstract
Since the 19th century, the southern part of Helsingborg has been a stable, working class community. In the last twenty years development in the South has been negative, the residents have become more transient, and the area has faced problems relating to crime, unemployment, health, and cultural conflict, which have had a negative impact on residents' quality of life.
The South in Transition program is a long-term local urban renewal project managed by Helsingborg Town Council, which was developed in harmony with the strategies contained in the town's current comprehensive plan. A key element of the project is the involvement of residents, business and property owners, and local entrepreneurs.
The renewal process began in 2001 with a "problem-possibility exploration" where 2,500 neighborhood residents (out of a total of 11,500) participated in focus groups and surveys. Residents were asked for their ideas and opinions about their environment, health, security, their children's environment, meeting places, parks, cultural institutions, waste collection, shops, traffic situation, and access to different services. Expert groups (consisting of city planners, environmental and health experts, and technical personnel) created long-term strategies for making various physical changes to the area. Examples include modifying streets to provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists and improving access for disabled people; rebuilding the area's central park; constructing a new gymnasium and a swimming pool; and rebuilding the area's main street (and diverting buses to another street) to make it a beautiful, wide, and lively avenue. These strategies were presented to external researchers who then produced assessments of the impact the development strategies would have on the health, social life, safety, accessibility, culture, natural environment, employment, and the economy of Helsingborg.
The outcome of the process was three documents to be used for political decision-making and priority setting. The documents and the proposed details of the renewal process were presented to residents through an exhibition at a shopping mall in southern Helsingborg. Through consensus, members of the council then prepared a priority list of 31 projects for implementation along with individual project budgets. In June 2002 the council voted to implement the 31 initiatives, starting in 2003. Each year, when the council adopts a new budget, different projects will be selected for implementation.
While the physical changes to the southern district are the core tasks of the project, the municipality is currently implementing several sustainable urban development sub-projects, based on citizens' ideas generated during the problems and possibilities exploration sessions.
In one sub-project, entitled "A Greener South," residents will participate in study groups to make changes in their outdoor environment. After acquiring knowledge of the natural environment and ecological cycles through study groups, tenants and property owners will then together agree on how to make changes to improve their backyard environments. For example, residents with adjacent yards may decide to remove the walls or fences that separate their properties to create one large yard. Backyards with few bushes and trees may plant more vegetation or improve the biology of their yards so that the plants can thrive. These measures will be implemented in cooperation with municipal ecologists to ensure that a successful result is achieved.
Financing
The project is funded solely by the Municipality of Helsingborg. The budget for the implementation of all 31 priority initiatives over a 10-year period is US$15.4 million (120 million crowns).
Staff
The project is managed by a political steering committee appointed by the town council and a management team consisting of directors from various municipal departments. Other staff include one full-time project manager, one full-time deputy project manager, a public relations officer, and one part-time administrative assistant.
Lessons Learned
It can be difficult to engage citizens in urban renewal processes, particularly lower-income residents who do not feel empowered. In order to increase citizen involvement it is important to have a clear project structure and defined goals for the various stakeholders involved.
Key Publications
Municipality of Helsingborg. 2002. This is How the South Will Change - Long-Term Sustainability from Eight Perspectives.
Municipality of Helsingborg. 2002. Welcome to a Walking Tour Through the South (Documentation from the exhibition)
Swedish National Association for Local Authorities. 2003. Soft Values - Hard Results.
Contact
Mr. Kenneth Mårtensson, LA21 Coordinator
Municipality of Helsingborg
Carl Krooks gata 30
25225 Helsingborg, Sweden
Tel: +46-42/105-555
Fax: +46-42/160-965
Email: kenneth.martensson@helsingborg.se
Website
www.helsingborg.kommun.se
The South in Transition
Municipal Profile
Population: 119,406
Budget: US$533 million
Land Area: 346 square kilometers
Economic Activities: trade and communications
Environmental Expertise: environmental management systems
Issue Addressed
Land Use Management
Key Management Concept
By engaging residents in less-developed areas of a municipality, a viable urban renewal plan can be created that is attractive to business and promotes sustainable community development.
Program Goals
The goal of the South in Transition is to make the southern district of Helsingborg more attractive in order to encourage business development, improve environmental quality, and improve the area's social cohesion. The renewal will be carried out to avoid gentrification and respect both the cultural and environmental needs of the citizenry.
Program Abstract
Since the 19th century, the southern part of Helsingborg has been a stable, working class community. In the last twenty years development in the South has been negative, the residents have become more transient, and the area has faced problems relating to crime, unemployment, health, and cultural conflict, which have had a negative impact on residents' quality of life.
The South in Transition program is a long-term local urban renewal project managed by Helsingborg Town Council, which was developed in harmony with the strategies contained in the town's current comprehensive plan. A key element of the project is the involvement of residents, business and property owners, and local entrepreneurs.
The renewal process began in 2001 with a "problem-possibility exploration" where 2,500 neighborhood residents (out of a total of 11,500) participated in focus groups and surveys. Residents were asked for their ideas and opinions about their environment, health, security, their children's environment, meeting places, parks, cultural institutions, waste collection, shops, traffic situation, and access to different services. Expert groups (consisting of city planners, environmental and health experts, and technical personnel) created long-term strategies for making various physical changes to the area. Examples include modifying streets to provide more space for pedestrians and cyclists and improving access for disabled people; rebuilding the area's central park; constructing a new gymnasium and a swimming pool; and rebuilding the area's main street (and diverting buses to another street) to make it a beautiful, wide, and lively avenue. These strategies were presented to external researchers who then produced assessments of the impact the development strategies would have on the health, social life, safety, accessibility, culture, natural environment, employment, and the economy of Helsingborg.
The outcome of the process was three documents to be used for political decision-making and priority setting. The documents and the proposed details of the renewal process were presented to residents through an exhibition at a shopping mall in southern Helsingborg. Through consensus, members of the council then prepared a priority list of 31 projects for implementation along with individual project budgets. In June 2002 the council voted to implement the 31 initiatives, starting in 2003. Each year, when the council adopts a new budget, different projects will be selected for implementation.
While the physical changes to the southern district are the core tasks of the project, the municipality is currently implementing several sustainable urban development sub-projects, based on citizens' ideas generated during the problems and possibilities exploration sessions.
In one sub-project, entitled "A Greener South," residents will participate in study groups to make changes in their outdoor environment. After acquiring knowledge of the natural environment and ecological cycles through study groups, tenants and property owners will then together agree on how to make changes to improve their backyard environments. For example, residents with adjacent yards may decide to remove the walls or fences that separate their properties to create one large yard. Backyards with few bushes and trees may plant more vegetation or improve the biology of their yards so that the plants can thrive. These measures will be implemented in cooperation with municipal ecologists to ensure that a successful result is achieved.
Financing
The project is funded solely by the Municipality of Helsingborg. The budget for the implementation of all 31 priority initiatives over a 10-year period is US$15.4 million (120 million crowns).
Staff
The project is managed by a political steering committee appointed by the town council and a management team consisting of directors from various municipal departments. Other staff include one full-time project manager, one full-time deputy project manager, a public relations officer, and one part-time administrative assistant.
Lessons Learned
It can be difficult to engage citizens in urban renewal processes, particularly lower-income residents who do not feel empowered. In order to increase citizen involvement it is important to have a clear project structure and defined goals for the various stakeholders involved.
Key Publications
Municipality of Helsingborg. 2002. This is How the South Will Change - Long-Term Sustainability from Eight Perspectives.
Municipality of Helsingborg. 2002. Welcome to a Walking Tour Through the South (Documentation from the exhibition)
Swedish National Association for Local Authorities. 2003. Soft Values - Hard Results.
Contact
Mr. Kenneth Mårtensson, LA21 Coordinator
Municipality of Helsingborg
Carl Krooks gata 30
25225 Helsingborg, Sweden
Tel: +46-42/105-555
Fax: +46-42/160-965
Email: kenneth.martensson@helsingborg.se
Website
www.helsingborg.kommun.se
