Spatial Visions and the Future of Norrland : A case study of the spatial vision following Northvolt’s establishment in Skellefteå

Abstract: In March of 2017, Northvolt announced at a press conference in Skellefteå that they had received the green light on their factory Northvolt Ett, a lithium-ion battery factory running on 100 per cent renewable energy. The industrial establishment has meant a great increase in population and a consequent increase in demand for housing and services. Skellefteå kommun (municipality), located along the Baltic Sea coast, has had a long history of population- and demographic decline. Northvolt is the first among many similar industrial strides in Northern Sweden (Norrland) promoted by the provincial government, the state, and the European Union. The establishment of Northvolt is part of a larger vision for the entirety of Norrland, a move towards reindustrialisation and urbanisation - all in the name of sustainable development. This thesis aims to examine the role of spatial visions in policy within the multilevel governance system in the matter of urbanisation and green industrialisation. A study into the prevailing discourse into the development in Norrland and Skellefteå in light of historical and realistic conditions through a thorough theoretical- and empirical investigation into what the establishment of a large employer entails for the local community. Through a qualitative content analysis of seven policy documents from all levels of governance; transnational, state, region, and municipality, accompanied by a set of four interviews with local municipal politicians this thesis will test the two hypotheses formulated to be accepted or rejected: I. Policy documents on supra-municipal level are not in line with local, realistic-, and historical conditions for Norrland, II. The current discourse does not highlight the contingent risks the large-scale industrial investment means for the local community The performed study shows that the green reindustrialisation in Norrland, as promoted by the Swedish government and the European Union, is one of the most ambitious visions for the future in modern day. The conclusion is that there is a disconnect between visions on municipal and supra-municipal level, in addition there is no sense of risk in the development at hand.