Climate-adapted urban development

All new urban development must be sustainable and adapted to the climate

Urban development will take place for many years, mainly through transforming and densifying existing urban areas. Planning new urban formations, or expanding existing ones, is still taking place in the open country, especially near the most prominent cities.

Today, physical planning must deal with significantly different challenges than in the past, among other things, due to climate challenges, states the National planning report for Denmark 2019, which sets the framework for physical planning. Primarily, the Planning Act must be a tool to support potential and strengthen development opportunities throughout Denmark. Among other things, changes in the Planning Act have made it possible for the municipalities to use climate adaptation as planning justification for new local planning and have provided new development opportunities in the coastal areas.

The Building Regulations already today require that individual landowners handle rainfall locally. There is an expectation that fascines, seepage basins, and green roofs, which absorb and evaporate most precipitation, will become more common as requirements in zoning regulations. Some Danish municipalities operate with financial incentives so that landowners are entirely or partially exempt from paying connection fees if they handle roof and surface water locally.