The 21st annual conference of the International Academic Association on Planning, Law, and Property Rights (PLPR) will be hosted by the Faculty of Landscape and Society at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.
This conference is a collaborativly organised by Andreas Hengstermann (Department of Urban and Regional Planning) and Terje Holsen (Department of Property and Law).
The conference is an excellent opportunity to share and explore research on a wide range of topics at the intersection of planning, law, and property rights. Examples are land use regulation, governance, and urban development.
“We very much look forward to welcoming the PLPR community to Ås for PLPR 2027.
Hjertelig velkommen.”
Andreas Hengstermann & Terje Holsen
Andreas Hengstermann
Department of Urban and Regional Planning
Terje Holsen
Department of Property and Law
PLPR 2027 invites contributions across the full spectrum of planning, law, and property rights research.
Special attention will be given to the following three focus areas, which will be highlighted through keynote presentations and excursions:
- Learning about Norway: Insights into Norway and the Norwegian planning system, including its legal and institutional framework. Keynote by Terje Holsen.
- Privatisation of Planning: Critical discussions on the increasing role of private actors in planning and its implications for public interest and governance. Keynote by Gro Sandkjær Hanssen.
- Coastal Planning: Legal and spatial perspectives on coastal development, conservation, and competing land‑use pressures.
Held on Norway's most beautiful campus located just outside Oslo, the event is an opportunity to experience this stunning location in the heart of spring.
Sep 2026
Call for Special Sessions
The call for special sessions has now closed. We would like to thank everyone who submitted a proposal. The approved special sessions for PLPR 2027 can be found by clicking here.
Researchers submitting abstracts to the conference may choose to submit either to the general conference programme or to one of the special sessions listed on that page.
Dec 2026
Call for Abstracts / Abstract submission
The call for abstracts is now open.
Researchers are invited to submit abstracts on any topic within planning, law, and property rights. Contributions may be submitted either to the general conference programme or to one of the announced special sessions. Abstract submissions are open until 1 December 2026 (23:59 CET). Please see the submission guidelines for details on submission procedures, special session options, and important dates.
Jan 2027
Acceptance letters
Acceptance notifications will be sent out in mid‑January 2027 via email.
Mar 2027
Registration
Conference registration opens on 1 March 2027; early‑bird rates apply until 1 April, and registration will close on 1 May 2027.
May 2027
Program
The full and final program will be available from 5 May 2027.
May 2027
Conference
The PLPR 2027 conference will be held from 10 to 14 May 2027. The programme begins with a PhD workshop on Monday, followed by the opening keynote on Tuesday morning, and concludes with excursions on Friday afternoon.
This webpage will be updated regularly. Here are the most recent changes:
- 13 Oct. 2026: Abstract submission is open.
- 09 Oct. 2026: Information about the Special Sessions were uploaded.
- 24 Sept. 2026: Terje Holsen will deliver a keynote presentation on the Norwegian planning system and its historical development.
- 20 Sept. 2026: Gro Sandkjær Hanssen has been confirmed as our first keynote speaker, focusing on the growing private involvement in planning processes is reshaping the Norwegian planning system.
- 20 Aug. 2026: More detailed information about the PhD Workshop was uploaded.
- 09 July 2026: The Call for Special Session was launched.
- 02 July 2026: Detailed information about the affordable accommodation for PhD candidates was uploaded.
- 08 May 2026: The About Us section was uploaded.
- 06 May 2026: The (preliminary) program overview was uploaded.
- 04 May 2026: Venue details and travel information were uploaded.
- 28 April 2026: The conference landing page has been launched.
A preview of the beautiful campus at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences:
