Espoo Master Plan 2060 - Participation and assessment scheme
The master plan is a general land use and transport plan to manage Espoo’s growth in a sustainable way, in line with the Espoo Story.
Espoo will prepare a city-wide master plan that will reach all the way to 2060 (City Board meeting on 20 June 2022, section 220).
Espoo has grown faster than predicted, and it is necessary to assess which parts of the master plan need to be revised. The up-to-date, recent partial master plans will remain in force in their respective areas, but they will also be integrated into the full master plan in terms of scale and presentation.
The master plan is a general land use and transport plan to manage Espoo’s growth in a sustainable way, in line with the Espoo Story. The master plan is drawn up in stages in cooperation with residents, stakeholders and experts, and approved by the City Council. The master plan directs local detailed planning and other more detailed plans.
This is the participation and assessment scheme for Espoo Master Plan 2060, describing the starting points of the plan, the opportunities for residents and other stakeholders to participate in the planning process and the plan's stages, schedule and impact assessment.
Espoo’s new master plan looks to 2060
The master plan is a general plan for land use and transport that anticipates the City’s development over the coming decades. The purpose of the plan is to direct the placement of various community functions, such as housing, services, workplaces and recreational areas, and reconcile these functions. The master plan is based on the Espoo Story and it will outline the directions and focuses for the City’s growth at a general level. The master plan directs the preparation of the detailed plans and other more specific plans.
The master plan includes a legally relevant master plan with its related markings and regulations. The master plan also includes a summary that describes the premises of the plan, its content and its key impacts. In connection with the work on the master plan, various surveys that support the planning are prepared.
Why make a new master plan for the whole city?
The City’s population has grown at a steady pace since the 1960s and during the last ten years an average of 4500 residents per year. If the population growth continues at the same rate, Espoo may have 480,000 residents in 2060. The currently valid master plans of Espoo will not be able to meet such a rapid growth: Espoo requires an overview of land use and transport that follows the City’s strategy, the Espoo Story.
With the help of the master plan, Espoo’s growth can be anticipated and planned: how the City can grow in a controlled and sustainable manner and prepare for future challenges, such as climate change mitigation and adaptation. The master plan helps direct the City’s growth in a sustainable manner so that, in addition to construction, values such as nature and the cultural environment can be protected, carbon sinks can be preserved, traffic emissions can be minimised and smooth routines, accessible services and recreational opportunities for everyone can be ensured.
The currently valid master plans are of very different ages and scopes and have different contents and objectives. For example, the population forecast included in the master plan for Espoo’s southern areas has been fulfilled ten years early. Then again, Espoo also has partial master plans completed in the last few years which we will not need to change. New, up-to-date partial master plans and those in need of updating will be coordinated in the full master plan to create a coherent and comprehensible whole in terms of scale and presentation.
Participation opportunities
In master planning, stakeholders include the residents of the areas being planned and the nearby areas, the owners of land and water areas, communities, entrepreneurs and other parties whose housing, work or other circumstances may be significantly affected by the plan. Stakeholders also include the authorities and organisations whose sectors are involved in the planning.
Stakeholders can receive information about the master plan process at www.espoo.fi/en/masterplan throughout the process. At the different stages of planning, stakeholders will be provided with opportunities for expressing their views of the plan. The information received from the stakeholders will be used as initial data for the planning.
You can participate in the master planning through the following means, for example:
- You can follow the progress of the planning work and see the plan materials on the City’s website and social media channels.
- You can participate in residents’ events and surveys, which will be organised during the various stages of the planning process.
- When the plan materials are available for public review, you can officially submit your opinion of a draft or an objection to a plan proposal.
The stages of the planning process and participation are explained further in the chapter of this participation and assessment scheme titled ‘Planning schedule and stages of participation’.
When the plan materials are made available for public review, a public notice will be posted on the City’s website www.espoo.fi/en/masterplan. The public review will also be announced on the City’s social media channels and in the Länsiväylä and Hufvudstadsbladet newspapers. The plans available for public review at each stage can be seen on the City’s website www.espoo.fi. You can also view the materials at the customer service office of the Espoo Urban Environment Sector (Tekniikantie 15, 2nd floor, Otaniemi) and at Espoo’s service points.
Planning schedule and stages of participation
Master planning is a multi-stage process in which stakeholders have the opportunity to express their views at different stages. Work on the master plan will start in autumn 2022 and is expected to be ready for approval in 2027. The City Council will decide on the approval of the master plan.
From the stakeholders’ perspective, important stages include the public events at the starting stage and the opportunity to express their opinions on the plan draft, which will, likely, be available for public review in 2024. After this, a plan proposal will be prepared, regarding which stakeholders may also submit an objection. The sooner stakeholders’ views are taken into consideration during the planning, the easier it will be to reconcile them during the different stages. You can see the steps included in each planning stage in the schedule here.
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Caption: Stages of the master plan and the planned implementation schedule. Residents’ events are held during the various stages of the planning. These events will be announced on the plan’s designated website.
The master plan’s schedule allows us to move to a ‘rolling’ master planning process, where the master plan for the whole city will be updated each council term. The cycle that is tied to council terms facilitates decision-making as the solutions can be reassessed when new information is gained or views of the future become clearer.
Premises of master planning
Laws and strategies
The preparation of the master plan is governed by numerous laws, objectives and plans. The guiding principle of the land use planning system is that the planning gradually becomes more detailed: the national land use objectives and the general plans – the regional plan and master plan – direct the detailed planning.
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Caption: While the regional plan looks at the region as a whole and directs its development objectives, the master plan looks at areas in more detail. However, the detailed plan is where specific decisions about construction are made. All planning is governed by the national land use objectives. (Figure edited according to the Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council)
The general direction of land use planning is based on the Land Use and Building Act. The master plan must follow the national land use objectives and be based on the Uusimaa regional plan. At the moment, the Helsinki-Uusimaa Land Use Plan 2050(external link, opens in a new window) that directs the planning is pending appeal processing, but has, mostly, entered into force in September 2021. The Helsinki-Uusimaa Regional Council can provide more information about the appeal process.
Land use can be influenced through various regional and municipals strategies. In Espoo, planning is directed by the City’s strategy, the Espoo Story. The master plan solution must also allow for the overview of the land use, housing construction and transport system development in the Helsinki region, as specified in the MAL plan(external link, opens in a new window).
Initial data
The master planning must be based on up-to-date initial data and reviews of the area’s current status and future prospects. The planners will make use of various research and survey results of diverse themes. In addition to existing data, new reviews will also be carried out in connection with the planning work. If necessary, ‘land use reviews’ regarding the future development in land use may be carried out for some areas. These reviews are more detailed than the master plan map. One of the key initial data materials is the experience-based data of the area being planned, collected from residents via the My Espoo on the Map survey in autumn 2020.
You can learn more about the initial data, reviews and surveys at www.espoo.fi/en/masterplan.
Impact assessment
According to Section 9 of the Land Use and Building Act, the significant impact of the plan must be assessed and the research and reviews required by the assessment must be carried out during the planning. The impact of the plan solution must be studied sufficiently, so that the significant direct and indirect consequences of the plan can be assessed regarding for the following:
1) people’s living conditions and environment;
2) the soil and bedrock, water, air and climate;
3) flora and fauna, biodiversity and natural resources;
4) the area and urban structure, urban and energy economy and transport;
5) the cityscape, landscape, cultural heritage and the built environment.
The impacts will be assessed through expert work. The plan will influence all of Espoo. The planning encompassing the City as a whole must also pay attention to regional impact and extensive impact on the climate, the development of a city structure that relies on rail transport, an increasingly dense urban structure, and green structures.
Communications channels used
Material presentations, master plan publications and news
www.espoo.fi/en/masterplan
Social media
Espoo’s social media channels
Facebook(external link, opens in a new window)
Twitter(external link, opens in a new window)
Contact information
Urban Environment Customer Service
Address: Tekniikantie 15, 02150 Espoo
Tel.: +358 (0) 9 8162 5000
Registry Office
Feedback on the participation and assessment scheme, official opinions of the master plan draft, or objections to the master plan proposal should be delivered to the City’s Registry Office:
Espoo Registry Office PO Box 1, 02070 City of Espoo
kirjaamo@espoo.fi
7.9.2022