An entire territory
A Municipal plan covers the entire territory of a municipality. It sets out the municipal council's policy and decisions regarding future land use and pattern of settlement. The policy set out in the municipal plan is further elaborated in local plans for individual neighbourhoods or plots.
For information on municipal plans that are being reviewed or changed, go to: Skipulagsgátt - planning portal.
Development
Municipal planning committee
The municipality is responsible for the preparation of the municipal plan. The municipal planning committee handles the preparation on behalf and under the authority of the municipal council.
At the beginning of each electoral term, the municipal council must decide whether the current municipal plan should be revised.
Approval
The municipal plan takes effect once it has been approved by the local authority and confirmed by HMS.
Cost
The cost of preparing a Municipal plan is shared equally by the municipality concerned and the Planning Fund, Skipulagssjóður. An application for funding can be accessed on the HMS service pages. Please note that the application is in Icelandic.
Digital plan
The municipal plan is prepared digitally. This means that planning data is created in a standardised format within a geographic information system (GIS).
When the municipal plan is submitted to HMS for processing, the data must be provided in digital form, in addition to traditional planning documents. The municipal plan continues to be presented in both a written planning report and land use maps, as before. Further information on digital planning and geographic information.
Process
At the beginning of municipal master planning process, the municipalities planning committee prepares a project description for the master plan. This document outlines the background and purpose of the planning effort, as well as the intended approach to the planning process. It also explains how the environmental assessment of the proposed plan will be conducted.
The project description must be approved by the municipal council.
The description is then publicly presented, and the public is given an opportunity to submit comments and suggestions via the planning portal Skipulagsgátt. At the same time, consultation is sought from HMS and other relevant consulting parties.
The planning committee prepares a municipal master plan proposal for the master plan in accordance with the description of the planning project, taking into account the suggestions received from the public and consulting parties at earlier stages.
As part of the planning process, the environmental impacts are assessed, and the findings of the environmental assessment used to inform the final formulation of the plan. The planning proposal must be developed in consultation with residents and other interested parties.
Once the master plan proposal has been completed by the municipal council
The proposal is submitted to HMS for review.
The proposal is then formally advertised, where the public is given an opportunity to submit comments through Skipulagsgátt, planning portal.
When the deadline for comments has passed, the planning committee reviews all comments and opinions received and finalises the master plan accordingly, for formal approval by the municipal council.
Once approved, the plan is submitted to HMS for confirmation.
The master plan takes effect once it has been approved by the municipal council and confirmed by HMS.
The final documents and decisions are published on Skipulagsgátt, planning portal.
