When the city meets the future - effects and added values of a housing and industrial fair

Client

The Municipality of Trelleborg is Sweden's southernmost municipality and is located in Skåne County. The municipality has approximately 45 000 inhabitants and is characterised by both the tranquillity of a small town and a vivid countryside. Trelleborg is known for its port, which is one of Sweden's largest and most important for freight traffic to and from Europe. The municipality has a strong connection to shipping and logistics, but agriculture and industry also play a major role in the local economy.

Background

Like many other popular municipalities, Trelleborg is growing and developing, and the largest urban development project in Trelleborg's history, Kuststad Trelleborg, is currently underway and is aimed at transforming Trelleborg from a traditional port city into a modern coastal city where the city regains contact with the sea.

Kuststad Trelleborg involves investments in, among other things, new infrastructure, business and the development of just over 7,000 new homes in coastal locations. By moving port operations and opening up former port areas for urban development, land is freed up for new city districts such as Sjöstaden and Västra Sjöstaden, where housing, businesses and public spaces are planned. Kuststad Trelleborg has a strong focus on sustainability and climate neutrality which concerns both traffic solutions and climate-positive energy solutions for new areas.

The urban development project has been ongoing since 2016 and the construction of Västra Sjöstaden, the first large residential area in Kuststad Trelleborg, is planned to start in the second half of 2026.

Task

Trelleborg Municipality wants to investigate the preconditions for arranging a Housing and Industrial Fair in Kuststad Trelleborg with a possible implementation period in 2029–2030.

The purpose of this project is to conduct an external analysis that highlights the resources and investments (input) required for such an arrangement, as well as the effects, added value and results (output) that a fair could generate for the city. The analysis will be based on comparable cities of Trelleborg's size, both in Sweden and internationally, where similar urban, housing or industrial fairs have been held previously. The focus is on effects linked to urban development, housing, business development, innovation, tourism and place branding.

The project will provide a knowledge base to assess whether, how and to what extent a housing and industrial fair can function as a strategic tool to strengthen the long-term development of Kuststad Trelleborg and create value for both residents, business and the municipality as a whole.

Final delimitations are made in consultation with the university supervisor and the project client. Both the student and the client should be aware that appropriate academic grounding must be applied in the work.

Related SDGs