Can the pursuit of high land-use efficiency in the Follo municipalities come at the expense of quality of life? This was a central question when Folloregionen and NMBU brought together elected officials, developers, and professionals for a workshop on social sustainability at Ski Town Hall on 27 October (2026).
known, but underestimated problem
In the Follo region, as in many Norwegian towns with railway stations and development pressure, new construction can be dominated by uniform apartment blocks where developers push density to the limit. The result can be many homes that are small, dark, and exposed to noise, in neighborhoods with low-quality outdoor spaces. “A focus on centrality at the expense of housing quality can lead to higher turnover and unstable residential environments,” said Professor Ruth Kjærsti Raanaas, who presented findings from a national study with nearly 6,000 respondents.
The data indicate that a home perceived as too small, with insufficient daylight or too much noise, reduces life satisfaction. “Do not relax minimum size requirements for dwellings,” was her advice to local politicians. “Set requirements for sun and daylight.”
Who actually decides?
Professor Elin Børrud described the decisive role played by private landowners and developers and emphasized that the intentions of a zoning plan are no guarantee. The development process involves many actors, and outcomes become unpredictable when social qualities are weighed against transport and traffic considerations.
PhD candidate Maria Kjellesvik shared insights from her ongoing doctoral research on older adults who have moved to centrally located apartments in Nordre Follo and Indre Østfold. What they value most is freedom from maintenance, aesthetics, proximity to nature, and safety. At the same time, she raised the question of who can actually afford to live in these often expensive apartments.
Experiences and challenges related to ensuring social sustainability in housing development in Nesodden, Enebakk, and Ås were also presented.
Good intentions are not enough
Discussions among participants from municipalities, businesses, and organizations painted a picture of a system that is quite strong on intentions but weaker on implementation. The consultancy Byantropologene, which advises on social sustainability in planning processes, argued that a sociocultural site analysis, meaning a systematic mapping of local life and needs, can be a relevant tool in this work.
The workshop concluded with several recommendations for the region’s municipalities:
- Maintain minimum requirements for dwelling size and daylight.
- Require a varied mix of housing types in zoning plans.
- Use agreements actively to secure shared spaces and meeting places.
- Establish cross-sector collaboration between planning, health, and social housing services.
- And, not least, ensure that the people who will actually live in the new neighbourhoods have real influence over what is built.
Social sustainability is a national goal, on equal footing with environmental and economic sustainability. The question is whether municipalities are willing to use the tools they already have to turn good intentions into reality.