Crossing municipal borders in – map sharing in Southwest Finland
Common database facilitates access to municipal and regional maps

The region of Southwest Finland, the City of Turku and several of its neighbouring municipalities are making common function in land use planning more efficient through an electronically stored land use atlas. Consumers can use the same unique electronic atlas to scrutinise regional plans and general plans for land use and also municipal planning. The electronic atlas is a new not-for-profit service, and officially the plans are displayed for public inspection in the preparatory stage just as it has been before. The work on the electronic land use atlas was co-ordinated by ICT Turku Oy, of the Turku Science Park concern.

ICT Turku Oy Project Assistant, Timo Huttunen (left) and Master Planning Engineer of Turku, Olavi Ahola scrutinise plans in the electronically stored land use atlas. High resolution image Photo: Laura Hohteri

The Regional Council of Southwest Finland updates the regional maps in the electronic atlas, while the municipalities take care of the joint plans and their own master plans and detailed plans. Thanks to the technical compatibility of maps made possible by the electronic land use atlas the municipalities will have the option of outsourcing maintenance of plan maps.

"Land use is of interest to regional and urban planners, owners of real estate, consultants, credit agencies and surveying officials among others." Mr. Pekka Hallikainen, director of planning in the subregion of east Uusimaa, anticipates that the electronic atlas developed in Southwest Finland will make land use planning more efficient and easy. The fact that the maps transcend administrative borders makes it easier to form an overall picture, especially near regional borders. "The Turku area is a pioneer and an electronic atlas like this offers an alternative to ordering maps, copying and mailing. At last both officials and consumers can focus on their own work instead of spending time acquiring and archiving papers", says Mr. Hallikainen.

Pekka Hallikainen High resolution image Photo: Antero Kortesmaa

This electronically compiled atlas developed by ICT Turku Oy is a good action model for comparable map and location information services anywhere in Finland. The technical realisation of the electronic land use atlas is the work of the Department of Geography, University of Turku. The development work was funded by the Environmental Centre of Southwest Finland, the Regional Council of South-West Finland and the EU Regional Development Fund. The development work formed part of the joint InnoELLI programme of Southern Finland.

Electronic Plan Atlas: www.lounaispaikka.fi

Further information: