The aim of this study is to make clear the conception ”Sustainable Urban Development” through an investigation dealing with how the sustainable goals are attained in today’s Swedish urban planning. And also try to clarify where and why sustainable development is failing or lacking. Besides that I have investigated how actors take position towards urban sustainability. The essay is based on a literature study about sustainable urban development and it’s changes through the time and place. To make a distinct explanation of the goals and how they are used in Swedish planning, I have studied the garden city Silverdal situated in Sollentuna municipality ten kilometres north of Stockholm. Planners, architects and commissioners of building projects working with Silverdal, have been interviewed in purpose to get insight in Swedish urban planning. People living in Silverdal have been interviewed to get an idea of their feelings about the sustainability in the area.

The concept of sustainable urban development is relative new and during the latest years it has become an important part of the physical planning. First during the 1990’s sustainable planning received increased attention all over the world through the UN conferences and world meetings. The purposes of the meetings in UN were to fight against the world’s constant growing problems with environment, the distribution of resources and poverty. The cities have become the central starting point for these questions and for planning, because the problems are more urgent here. The enormous growth that the cities have experienced during the last decades has given rise to new opportunities, but also it has brought big problems. The sustainable perspective arose as a reaction against the powerful globalisation and the rational thoughts about modernism. The goal of sustainable planning was to improve the circumstances in the world by planning, designing and managing buildings, land and infrastructure. It comes from the point of view that we have to take care of our environment in order to make sure that following generations also can utilize these resources. To guarantee this, production and consumption have to be balanced. Planning is of vital importance in the realisation of the sustainable development. The sustainable goals have a different approach all over the world, because cities and places are mutually different. Development has to see the quality of the place and its necessary conditions. A holistic and a long-term thinking are to prefer in sustainable planning. A more structured planning tool can dissolve these problems. Sustainable urban development is in on its way forward, and more countries pay attention to the sustainable issues. How good results the sustainable urban planning can obtain depends on the actors’ engagement and ability to cooperate. The sustainable urban development is no longer a utopian dream: it’s a possible vision of the future.