Minimum outdoor recreation area (MUA)
Minimum outdoor recreation area (minste uteoppholdsareal, MUA) is the municipality's lower limit for how much outdoor recreation area a home, school, kindergarten or other building must have per unit. The number is given in square metres per dwelling unit, school pupil or kindergarten child, often written "m² MUA", and is set in the land use element of the kommuneplan, the zoning plan or a development plan.
The legal basis is plan- og bygningsloven § 12-7 (the Planning and Building Act, provisions in zoning plans) and § 11-9 no. 5 (general provisions for the land use element of the kommuneplan, including play, outdoor and recreation areas), which allow the municipality to set planning provisions on outdoor recreation area. At national level, the technical building regulations TEK17 § 8-3 require the outdoor recreation area to be fit for purpose, to have safe access and to have sufficient size, sunlight and low noise levels. The guidance from Direktoratet for byggkvalitet (DiBK, the Norwegian Building Authority) states that the area cannot be set aside for driving or parking, and that roof terraces, balconies and shared areas can be counted if the plan allows it.
How much is required varies between municipalities. Oslo has detailed norms in the land use element of its kommuneplan, where the minimum MUA per dwelling unit differs by building area and flat size, along with strict additional requirements for sunlight, noise and quality. Bergen and Trondheim use a similar zoning approach. Smaller municipalities refer to guides from DiBK and Husbanken, or use simpler square metre requirements without differentiation.
Noise often plays a part in the assessment. The Ministry of Climate and Environment's guideline T-1442 sets limits for noise levels on outdoor recreation areas, so parts of a plot with high noise levels cannot be counted. In modern plans, the quality of the area, such as sun and shade, usability and landscaping, is often weighted more heavily than purely quantitative square metre figures.
For a developer, MUA is one of the most decisive parameters in dense urban development. A strict MUA requirement combined with a high density figure often calls for solutions such as roof terraces, courtyards above underground car parks or shared outdoor recreation areas across several projects. In Placepoint, you find the applicable zoning plan with its provisions in the property panel when you click a property.
How it looks in Placepoint
In Placepoint, you find this in the Property panel:
From Placepoint's dictionary: Minimum outdoor recreation area (MUA)
More information: DiBK: TEK17 § 8-3 outdoor recreation area, Lovdata: plan- og bygningsloven, The Norwegian government: guideline T-1442 on noise
English: Minimum outdoor recreation area (MUA, per Plan- og bygningsloven).
Frequently asked questions
What is MUA (minste uteoppholdsareal)?
MUA is the minimum permitted outdoor recreation area per dwelling unit, school pupil or kindergarten child. The municipality sets the MUA requirement in its plans, and the area must be suitable for recreation and must not be built on or set aside for parking.
How is MUA measured?
MUA is measured in square metres per unit and is written m² MUA. The municipality can allow terraces and roof terraces to be partly counted. The area must be outdoor recreation area of good quality.
Why does MUA matter for housing developers?
MUA is directly relevant to housing projects because it sets the lower limit for outdoor recreation area per dwelling unit. In dense urban areas, meeting the MUA requirement and fitting in enough outdoor recreation area can be demanding.
What is the difference between MUA and other area figures?
MUA is specific to outdoor recreation area. Plot utilisation (TU) and built-up area (BYA) are other area figures, but they measure something else.
Where do I find the MUA requirement for a specific property?
The MUA requirement appears in the zoning plan or in the land use element of the kommuneplan. Placepoint shows the applicable zoning plan, and you then read the requirements in the plan's provisions.