Master plan for Espoo’s northern and central areas re-submitted to Council

In the summer, the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment issued a rectification reminder on the decision to approve the master plan for the northern and central areas of Espoo. Therefore, Espoo City Council will have to make a new decision on the master plan; otherwise the master plan decision made by the previous Council at the beginning of June will become void.

Espoo City Board will make a proposal to the City Council on the new master plan decision at its meeting on 11 October. The Council is due to decide on the matter in November.

Espoo has been preparing the proposal in cooperation with the parties concerned, with the aim of finding an appropriate planning solution. In preparing the new draft decision, the issues raised in the rectification reminder have been addressed and the necessary amendments have been made.

The key issue of the rectification reminder is the further planning of Länsirata from Espoo via Lohja to Salo, also known as the Espoo–Salo direct rail line, which the master plan must provide for. The railway line and station areas are indicated in the regional plan, but they are missing from Espoo’s master plans. The aim is to plan and build Hista and the railway in parallel. Further planning will be made possible by plan regulations on the planning of the station area and the timing of construction.

In addition to this, in line with the rectification reminder, the regulations for large retail premises in commercial areas and the regulations for dispersed settlement will be revised. Dispersed settlement refers to settlements outside areas covered by local detailed plans.

The master plan area of northern and central Espoo encompasses about a third of Espoo’s area. The plan reflects the intended situation by 2050. The goal is to direct long-term development while reconciling population growth, urbanisation and carbon neutrality.

The local master plan would enable the placement of 40,000 new residents and approximately 7,000 new jobs in the area. The centre of Kalajärvi is developing, and new local centres are being built along public transport routes. At the same time, conditions for sufficient housing production and functional public transport will be created.

The current master plan for the northern areas of Espoo is from 1997 and can no longer meet the challenges posed by the growing and changing city.