The Influence of the Concession Act on the Local Community, dr.gr.stip.

In this PhD-project, the impact of the amendment in the Norwegian Act relating to concession in the acquisition of real property (The Concession Act) on local communities, will be examined. Particular attention will be given settlement pattern, second hom es and cultural landscape. The Concession Act?s provision about exception from the obligation to acquire concession was revised 4th of May, 2001. The area limit for built-on properties was changed from 5 to 20 decares. A new Concession Act was completed 2 8th of November 2003. Here, the obligation to require concession was reduced to built-on properties more than 100 decares, or properties with more than 20 decares fully cultivated land. Hence, the obligation of personal residency and farming of the proper ty by the acquirer ceased for farms in this category. The purpose was to achieve increased purchase and sale of small farms, and thereby stabilise the population decrease in rural areas. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food called attention to the risk of two possible undesired effects of these changes; increased use of small farms as second homes and deterioration of the cultural landscape. It is always important to analyse effects in order to optimize the use of policy instruments. This is what I will do in this project. The changes in the area limit in the Concession Act will be examined. The consequences for the local community, in particular regarding settlement pattern, second homes and cultural landscape, will be analysed by using public statisti cs, surveys and case studies.