Land use policy shocks in the post-communist urban fringe: A case study of Estonia

Urban land use has been a major driving force behind land use change in Estonia since regaining independence and land reform process in the 1990s. The study summarizes land use change, land management and planning practices in the urban fringe over a period of 20 years with the aim of introducing a sustainable land use policy in highly fragmented suburban land. The processes and dynamics of land use change are explored using cartographic and landscape metrics analysis. The liberal-conservative planning practices have resulted in ad hoc allocation solutions which have created dramatic changes in land use in Estonia during the 1990s and 2000s. The patchy and scattered suburban land is formed by occupying former agricultural land, natural grasslands and forests. In the framework of physical planning, the land use, spatial and urban changes are related to master plans. The nature of the evolution of land management and the deficiencies of institutional framework are discussed as factors in inefficient land use in the sprawling suburbs. A further debate on the feasibility of encouraging land use diversity in peri-urban zones is advocated.

► Restitution and privatization in 1990s resulted in fragmentation of suburban land use enhanced by the economic growth in 2000s.
► Monofunctional residential development in periurban zone was dominant in Estonia.
► The neighbourhood layout has been strictly tetragonous in early stage, followed by the more complex semi-curvy pattern.
► Development is guided by detailed plans initiated by private developers instead of comprehensive strategic land use planning.