This report explores current processes of change in local governments ap-proach to urban planning and how these trends can be explained in relation to general developments of society. The findings of this report are mainly devel-oped from empirical research in the Danish town Frederikshavn. This approach developed the following understanding of changes in the planning of Frederik-shavn. The innovations in urban planning are to a large degree to be under-stood in the context of general change from government to governance in a fragmented, differentiated and complex society. However, Frederikshavn has managed to develop its own variety of innovative approach to urban planning where holistic plans are replaced with on-going scenario discussions and focus on processes in which the target is clarification of challenges and ambitions. The specific planning practices involve project planning combined with highly selective and strategic use of participation. Initially this report demonstrates an array of changes and innovative initiatives in the formal planning system as well as in the planning practice of local gov-ernments. This leads to formulating the central problem which consists of two main questions: What processes of change can be identified in urban planning of local governments and how do they result in concrete plans and planning processes? 2. What do the processes of change in urban planning of local gov-ernments reflect? Answers to the questions are found through a case study of Frederikshavn which is currently experiencing a development “from ship yard city to host city”. The Case study is divided into three parts. The first part is a descriptive analysis that addresses the historical and structural aspects in Frederikshavn. The sec-ond part is the main empirical analysis built on data collected from seven inter-views of important players in Frederikshavn. In the third part of the analysis the results derived from the empirical analysis are linked and compared to theo-retical explanations and interpretations.