On 16th and 17th of January 2020, the 4th Management Committee and Working Group Meetings of COST Action „Public Value Capture of Increasing Property Values-PuVaCa“ CA17125 were held in Norway. The host of the meeting was research professor Berit Irene Nordahl from Oslo Met University.

On Thursday, both working groups worked together. Presentation and discussion of systems of classification, discussion of current and future papers and potential new proposals, projects, workshops as well as dissemination activities about the upcoming Conference in Ljubljana were the main topics during the first day of the meeting.

During the second day of the meeting, two topics were discussed on workshops. One was about the philosophy of property rights in different context, and the second was about the systems of property right regarding land value in a development process.

Professor Barbara Havel from Poland presented the situation in this country through the topic: “Philosophy of property rights in neoliberal transformation in Poland and the possibility for implementation of value capture mechanisms”.

As well, Eliška Vejchodská from Czechia held a presentation and interactive discussion about contributions to terminology paper as one of the main objectives of the PuVaCa COST Action.

Furthermore, Nina von Lachmann Steensen, Head of Secretariat of The International Federation for Housing and Planning IFHP, presented theirs new tool – The Social City Index that let us measure the social indicators of the cities. It turns soft and often fragmented data into action points. The Social City Index shows where the observed city has strengths and where there is potential for growth. It translates data into an easy-to-read diagnosis of the city, its neighbourhoods, and the housing situation.

During the afternoon, “Case Norway: In the search of a more efficient, just and predictable system” was presented to participants through the next topics:

  • The Norwegian LVC system in an international perspective presented by research professor Berit Irene Nordahl
  • System efficiency and system justice seen from the city of Oslo: the need for system change presented by urban planner Lars Marius Hestnes Olsen
  • Three alternative models and their strengths and weaknesses presented by urban planner Lars Marius Hestnes Olsen and research professor Berit Irene Nordahl
  • A plan & project-based system – system change or amendments? presented by senior advisor Magnar Danielsen, Ministry for local authorities and modernization Planning Department
  • A just, effective and fair system – judicial amendments and challenges presented by senior advisor Fredrik Rasmussen, Ministry for local authorities and modernization Building Department

Afterwards, a fruitful discussion about the cost and benefits of an eventual change in Norway from plan & project based to fee based system has been conducted.

Next MC&WG meeting, as well as the first PuVaCa Conference will be held in Ljubljana, Slovenia on 18th and 19th June, 2020. More info about the Conference you can find on the link.