Stepping up regionally: Governing local land use conflicts through regional energy approaches

Abstract

This paper examines how land use conflicts in renewable energy expansion can be addressed through regional planning. These conflicts often arise from competing spatial claims and limited local support. Drawing on a case study of the Regional Energy Strategy (RES) in Flevoland, the Netherlands, the study applies conformance-performance planning framework to assess how different regional policy approaches influence spatial outcomes and governance processes. Empirical evidence is derived from document analysis and 18 semi-structured interviews with stakeholders across multiple governance levels. The analysis explores how regionalisation reshapes stakeholder dynamics, procedural legitimacy, and institutional coordination. Theoretically, the paper contributes to debates on multi-level governance by identifying the conditions under which regional strategies can mitigate land use tensions in energy transitions. Findings show that regional planning can contribute to redistributing benefits and risks, potentially lowering conflict intensity, and enable procedural legitimacy. However, the outcomes are shaped by the design of governance structures, institutional flexibility, and coordination across multiple governance levels.