The picturesque lakeside area of Väsby Sjöstad is one of the few suitable development locations but is in the ‘Green Wedge’ which forms part of the structural landscape of the city of Stockholm.

Many local people wish to preserve the landscape and therefore oppose the development, and even those who appreciate the pressing need for urban expansion recognise that the natural qualities that make it attractive could be lost if it is not designed with the greatest sensitivity.

The Väsby Sjöstad project was therefore a significant issue in terms of the town’s politics.

The local authority decided that a Community Planning approach was the best way of achieving a balanced debate. As the tradition of participatory planning is limited in Sweden, the local authority looked abroad, with the result that a JTP-led international team was commissioned to carry out the project.