The referendum question does not take a stance on how many residences should be planned in the urban areas; it simply indicates that more residences should be planned compared to the current comprehensive plan. More residences mean more than those accommodated within the current capacity limits for water and sewage systems.

The table shows how residences are planned in Storvreta, Vattholma, Skyttorp, Vänge, and Järlåsa in the current comprehensive plan (CP). It also shows how many residences exist in the urban areas today and how many people reside in these areas.

In the continued revise of the comprehensive plan, a collected assessment will determine how many additional residences are suitable to build in each urban area.

The development and expansion of communities with more residences will result in costs for the municipality. The effect of construction, i.e. the increase in population and tax base, generates revenue for the municipality. To maintain a balanced economy, municipal resources need to be used efficiently.

More residences in urban areas and fewer in the city can lead to increased need of investments concerning:

• preschool and school
• healthcare and elderly care
• public spaces and recreational areas

This is because urban areas have fewer economies of scale than the city. This means that fewer people can utilize the same resources. The number of residences built must coincide with the expansion of social infrastructure to maintain resource efficiency. Some economies of scale can be achieved through development along transportation corridors (Ostkustbanan), where urban residents can easily commute to services in a nearby urban area.

There is an increased market risk for development projects in urban areas compared to the city. The risk of a weak demand for residences in urban areas can lead to municipal land acquisitions and investments being underutilized (such as development, technical and social infrastructure, etc.). To reduce market risk, various measures may be required to enhance the attractiveness of urban areas, such as investments in public spaces, recreational areas, etc.

More residences in urban areas, beyond what is planned in the current comprehensive plan, could lead to increased expansion of the national road infrastructure, such as intersection measures, traffic areas, etc. This may require municipal co-financing.

New residences in urban areas result in more car traffic in the city compared to equivalent residences within the city, where travel distances are often within cycling distance and shorter distances with higher frequency in public transportation. Therefore, there may be increased costs for investments in the city's transportation infrastructure due to more car traffic from urban areas.

More residences in urban areas and fewer in the city may reduce the risk of costs for nature considerations (compensation), as there is a greater concentration of high natural values ​​in and around Uppsala city than in other urban areas overall. This is mainly due to the fact that the urban areas to a greater extent are surrounded by production forest, while the forest areas around the city are often managed as recreational areas, which normally leads to higher nature values.

Fewer residences in the city may result in slightly reduced utilization of existing technical infrastructure in the city while investments in the city's technical infrastructure are only marginally affected. This is because most of the planned infrastructure investments in the city need to be made for the city to grow, albeit to a lesser extent.

The water and sewage system is financed by water tariffs and not through municipal taxes. More residences in urban areas will require new investments to increase capacity for wastewater and drinking water supply. This includes new sewage treatment plants, water treatment plants, and transmission lines between urban areas. Such investments are financed through the user fee, i.e., what all connected households and businesses pay for their use of the public water and sewage system.

The total investment cost is estimated to be greater for water and sewage (i.e., drinking water, wastewater, and rainwater) if the municipality chooses to decrease development in Uppsala city by planning for more residences in urban areas along the Ostkustbanan and Dalabanan railways. In this case, it is likely that the water tariffs will need to be increased more than if housing is developed according to the comprehensive plan.

More residences in an area may result in a level of service maintained over time, as the population base tends to decrease when children move out, leaving parents behind, but no new families moving in.

When an urban area grows with many more residences, the need for community services increases, including:

• preschool and school
• healthcare
• recreational activities
• public transportation

Community services require municipal and regional investments and prioritizations. In all urban areas mentioned in the referendum question, new schools and preschools are needed if a larger number of residences are built.

An increased population in urban areas may provide conditions for a wider range of commercial services, such as shops, cafes, hairdressers, and gyms. However, the development of the commercial service offering also requires initiatives from the business community.

Fewer future residences in the city may result in a slightly reduced range than planned of commercial service and community service in some neighbourhoods if the intended construction in an area decreases significantly and the population base thus becomes smaller.

Generally, increased construction outside the city leads to more car travel, primarily because many trips become longer, making cycling an unrealistic option for most. Since many trips still will be into the city centre, it results in an increased influx of car traffic into the city. This, in turn, may lead to increased costs for investments in the city's transportation infrastructure in order to handle noise, air quality and the need of increased capacity. Examples of places where measures may need to be taken concerning capacity are the traffic junctions at E4, Bärbyleden, and Österleden.

About Vänge and Järlåsa (Dalabanan)

The consequences of an expansion in Vänge and Järlåsa are affected by the development of Dalabanan. If a new railway to Enköping is built via Vänge and connected to Dalabanan, a new commuter train service, competitively sustainable, may operate the railway line towards Vänge, at least.

However, a new railway is estimated to be far in the future. With the capacity available on the current Dalabanan, possibly another stop could be accommodated in either Vänge or Järlåsa with one departure per hour in each direction. It is doubtful if the cost of a station can be justified when so sparingly used. Additionally, the municipality lacks autonomy in the matter. It is the Swedish Transport Administration and Region Uppsala that are responsible for building the station and operating the railway line.

The impact will be greater on the city's road network with an expansion of Vänge and Järlåsa. West of the city centre, the road network is sensitive. Much traffic travels on streets that are not designed for heavy traffic, such as

• Övre Slottsgatan
• Krongatan
• Villavägen
• Ekebydalsvägen

Managing increased traffic flows may lead to costly investments.

About Storvreta, Vattholma, and Skyttorp (Ostkustbanan)

More residences in Storvreta, Vattholma, and Skyttorp may lead to more people choosing trains as a mode of transportation. Ostkustbanan is not estimated to have the capacity for more than a marginally increased commuter train services. This means that bus traffic will still be an important mode of transportation in the expansion of the areas along Ostkustbanan.

Development can change the character of already built environment in the urban areas in various ways, for example through denser construction or taller buildings.

Vattholma, Skyttorp, Vänge, and Järlåsa are relatively small urban areas with sparse and small-scale built environment. Storvreta has a larger population but consists largely of detached houses. More residences could mean:

• other types of housing or forms of accommodation are introduced
• accessibility to meeting places and public transportation increases
• new residences are built denser and taller to minimize land use
• accessibility to services increases

A more intense land use with new construction in urban areas may also affect the cultural environment.

For Storvreta, Vattholma, and Skyttorp, the current comprehensive plan already shows significant development, with the number of residences increasing by more than 50 percent.

Building more residences in urban areas and fewer in the city is expected to affect social sustainability more in urban areas than in the city.

Fewer future residences in the city are expected to result in only marginal differences compared to the current comprehensive plan. The referendum question does not affect where residences should be built in the city or what qualities should be created in the city. Opportunities to create good childhood conditions, access to services, safety, and good living environments remain.

If more residences are built in urban areas:

• the range of housing types and tenure forms may increase
• multi-family houses may be added to areas with detached housing

Today, the urban areas around Uppsala city are dominated by detached houses, unlike the wider variation of housing to be seen in areas within Uppsala city. A greater variety of housing options may increase the mix of households in urban areas. Increased mixing in all areas in Uppsala municipality can strengthen cohesion among residents.

An increased housing supply and a greater variety of residences make it easier for those who want to stay in the urban area but move to another residence when their life situation changes. Or for those who wish to move from the city to a smaller urban area, whether it be to a detached house they own or to a rental apartment, condominium, or other forms of accommodation.

The referendum question does not take a stance on where in the city expansion should take place or how much development should be reduced. However, reducing construction in the city can lead to that:

• the total demand for land for development in the city area will decrease and consequently more natural areas with high natural values around the city could be preserved
• the need to develop green public areas and open spaces within the city may decrease

If construction in the city decreases while it increases in urban areas, there may be a risk that the total land requirement for development becomes larger, as the city overall has a higher population density than urban areas.

The greater need for land could lead to an increased risk of more natural area and agricultural land being used and carbon storage in soil and forest decreasing.

Building more residences in urban areas and fewer in the city can be done in a way that supports climate transition. This depends on how the development is implemented and other societal changes that occur and need to occur.

Two differences can be discerned. It is likely to be more challenging to build with as little climate impact as possible in urban areas than in the city. The current structures of urban areas make it difficult to carry out large-scale development where station locations can be fully utilized.

It is more likely that developments in urban areas will lead to greater land use with more detached houses and terraced houses, and that the total residential area will be larger than in the city. This entails higher energy and resource utilization, which in turn leads to increased greenhouse gas emissions.

More residences in the urban areas will probably lead to more car transport and increased climate emissions, as workplaces and other destinations are primarily located in the city. Switching to renewable fuels, however, gives a possibility of reduced climate impact.

It may be more difficult to get developers to invest in urban areas due to market conditions.

Also, laws, regulations, and municipal requirements and sustainability goals that must be met regardless of where construction occurs may pose challenges. The households' willingness to pay is lower for residences in the urban areas than in the city, but production costs are roughly the same.

Access to land for new construction may also be more difficult since there is not as much municipal land in urban areas. Land acquisition or landowners interested in development who drive the expansion are required.

Road ownership may also make it more difficult. Building public spaces in urban areas where road associations and not the municipality are responsible for the local road network is a more extensive process. This applies to all urban areas except Storvreta. It requires an extensive process if the municipality is to take over road maintenance from a road association or the state.

The municipality lacks authority over the overall road network in urban areas. The national government is the road authority, and Region Uppsala allocates investment funds. Enhancements and any new connections depend on:

• the willingness of the national government to plan for it according to the Swedish Road Act, even if it is funded by development funds or the municipality's tax revenue
• financing according to Region Uppsala's plans, where it is reasonable for national government funds to finance efforts, at least partially