In Lapland, the regional land use plan is drafted by sub-region. The general land use in Lapland is currently resolved with four regional land use plans, one regional plan, and four stagewise regional land use plans for the following regions: Rovaniemi (Rovaniemi, Ranua), Eastern Lapland (Kemijärvi, Pelkosenniemi, Posio, Salla, Savukoski), Northern Lapland (Inari, Sodankylä, Utsjoki) and Fell Lapland (Enontekiö, Kittilä, Kolari, Muonio). The Ministry of the Environment ratified the regional land use plan for Fell Lapland in summer 2010. The regional plan of Western Lapland (Kemi, Keminmaa, Pello, Simo, Tervola, Tornio, Ylitornio) took legal effect of a regional land use plan on 1 January 2010 in accordance with the transitional provisions stipulated in the Land Use and Building Act ( Maankäyttö- ja rakennuslaki), no. 132 of 1999.

The currently valid stagewise regional land use plans are the land use plan for wind power in the sea and coastal area of Lapland, the land use plan for nuclear power for the Kemi-Tornio area, the stagewise Rovaniemi land use plan, and the stagewise land use plan for the Sokli mine project. The latter three were ratified by the Ministry of the Environment in spring 2010.

The initiation of the planning process of the regional land use plan for Western Lapland was publicised in March 2010.