The planning group of stakeholders, residents and municipalities will discuss the uses of the Arnarfjörður coast and make recommendations for the utilisation plan. Group members will be spokespeople for specific companies or other groups that have common interests. This approach will make it easier to compile information and settle upon the main conflicts and problems. The participation of these parties is also highly important because it stands to nurture general understanding and support for the final plan when it is presented for consultation. It is important that the group reaches a consensus which can be used for development in the region. Long-term investment is the name of the game. It is assumed that the co-operative regional planning committee of the Westfjords will oversee the creation of the utilisation plan. The co-operative committee works on the foundation of a resolution made at the 51st regional assembly of the Association of Municipalities of the Westfjords, which took place in 2006.

The planning group of representatives of the municipalities, residents, unions and other stakeholders. Behind each delegate there is a group of people with common interests.

Role of the planning group

The role of the planning group is to make a utilisation plan for Arnarfjörður. It will put forth a vision for the utilisation of the coast, just the same as utilisation plans on land which designate utilisation of specific areas/regions. In addition to this, information on natural conditions and contemporary coastal use will be collected. Private property rights, arrangement and allocation will not be covered by the plan. The councils of stakeholder municipalities (in this case Vesturbyggð, Tálknafjarðarhreppur and Ísafjarðarbær) will debate and vote on the utilisation plan in the same way as for land-based utilisation plans.

The group will submit its findings in two parts. On the one hand there will be plans showing the proposed use of the site and on the other a report which deals more specifically with the utilisation of the site and policy.

Planning consultants will provide technical implementation for the plan and profile reporting. In support of the project managers is a group of specialist agencies whose rôle it is to provide access to data and specialist knowledge which could be helpful to the project.

Joint conclusions

Delegates in the planning group are in all cases representatives of a given interest group and are responsible for standing up for their point-of-view and best interests. The delegates therefore need to be in good contact with their peers and drive conversation within their respective groups, companies and sectors. The path the group recommends following will be, among other things, influenced by pre-existing conditions and also by the values the project participants lay emphasis on. Differing points-of-view and opinions will likely exist between participants, but emphasis is placed on the group coming to joint overall results and conclusion. The strategy is intended to benefit the area in the long-term.

Planning group composition

Stakeholders are defined as individuals or entities which can have and effect on, or can be affected by, the creation and implementation of the utilisation plan. The composition of the planning group takes account of existing utilisation of Arnarfjörður, i.e. according to results of the mapping carried out in the pre-project preparation. Emphasis is placed on achieving the widest collection of viewpoints within the group at the same time as limiting the size of the group so that it remains workable and has advocates representing many different people and perspectives. They are the following: