Moving for mobility? Suburban spatial imaginaries

The critique of urban sprawl and the increased focus on low-carbon transitions have led to changes in urban and regional policies and planning in many city regions. This article examines sociocultural and lived dimensions of suburban sustainable mobility transitions by exploring different spatial imaginaries of suburban towns, mobility systems, and sustainable transitions from the perspectives of new residents, real estate marketing, and regional transport planning in the Greater Oslo Region. Empirically, the article investigates how households who have recently relocated to transit-oriented suburban nodes designed to promote low carbon mobility perceive the role of mobility prospects in their decision to relocate. This exploration is set against other social and material features at their new residential location. The article includes an analysis of the spatial imaginaries of regional transport plans and real estate marketing, as these imaginaries potentially play an important role in the spatial transformation and comprehension of these places and spaces and further households’ decisions to move there. These spatial imaginaries are contrasted with in-movers’ imagination, revealing potential disconnections between planning ideals, marketing strategies, and lived experiences. By shedding light on the interplay between spatial planning, marketing strategies, and lived experiences, this research contributes to broader discussions in mobility, housing, urban studies, and planning, promoting a nuanced understanding of the socio-cultural factors of sustainable suburban transformations.