The Master Plan 2060 info event involved lively conversation about Espoo’s new master plan
The City Planning Department organised a remote info event on the current situation and progress of the Espoo Master Plan 2060 on 18 April. The event involved good and wide-ranging discussion on the perspectives related to master plan work. Residents were most interested in viewpoints related to the growth and increasing density of the city as well as green areas and public transport.
In the master plan info event for residents, participants gained information on the current situation of Espoo’s master plan efforts. The goals of the master plan were approved at the City Board meeting on 13 March. The draft phase of the master plan will begin next.
In the remote event, participants were able to engage in the discussion by entering questions for the planning managers in the chat section. Local residents also had the opportunity to respond to a Mentimeter survey on the master plan goals during the event. The chat questions and Menti responses have been saved and will be included as background information in the planning process.
Considerations regarding the master plan’s accuracy and relationship to other plans
The master plan is a general plan of land use and traffic arrangements, which aims to pre-empt the development of the city in the coming decades. The Espoo master plan stretches to 2060. During the event, the residents wanted to know about the detail of the master plan’s area provisions and the ways in which Espoo’s master plan is intertwined with the master plans of the rest of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area.
In terms of the master plan work, there is cooperation with other parties, such as Helsinki, Vantaa and Kirkkonummi, through joint planning efforts and negotiations between authorities. The Espoo Master Plan 2060 takes into account all prior master plans prepared for Espoo.
Residents were most interested about sustainable growth and protecting urban nature
Local residents were interested in a range of topics, such as the types of sustainable urban planning. The master plan is a wide-ranging plan that necessitates examining sustainability from a variety perspectives. The aspects to consider include ecological, financial and social sustainability. The aim of the master plan is to bring together all elements of sustainability and find solutions through various impact assessments, for example.
The protection of green areas and nature kept coming up in the residents’ questions. Among other things, the event participants contemplated on the scope of protecting green areas and whether or not the Central Park will remain a contiguous area. The master plan can define vast green areas and networks of green areas on a general level. The networks are key green areas and routes that connect the natural areas. Individual smaller parks and specified through detailed planning.
The goals of the master plan recognise the importance of nature and local recreational areas to Espoo residents. The Central Park area has been defined as expandable by the goals.
Public transport and population increase sparked discussion
A few of the participants considered the future of public transport in Espoo. The master plan accounts for a variety of public transport solutions, and there are grounds to assume that strong trunk lines will continue be required to secure transport and mobility in Espoo. Trunk lines are rail and bus lines that run frequently and with few stops, transporting masses of people.
The residents were interested to know about the possible targets and steering of population growth. The master plan can be used to make preparations for Espoo’s increasing population and steer new construction, housing, jobs and traffic to the most suitable areas. A master plan cannot limit population growth. The master plan draft phase involves considering where to steer population growth. This is impacted by a variety of factors, such as the type of traffic system available to support land use.
The event also highlighted the need to consider the needs of the ageing population in the master plan. The ageing of the population is taken into account in the assessment of social impacts, for example.
Locals hope for vital, comfortable and socially sustainable residential areas
The event participants considered how the social segregation of the residential areas could be prevented. The master plan can be used to ensure the structural functionality of the residential areas and smooth public transport connections to each district. These measures can contribute to preventing social segregation.
The residents also asked about the employment self-sufficiency being targeted in Espoo and the ways in which to impact it through the master plan. Currently, employment self-sufficiency is focused in the eastern areas of Espoo. This will surely not change dramatically in years to come, but the aim of the master plan is to boost commercial activity and the number of jobs in all major districts.
The participating locals also brought up the appearance of buildings in their residential areas, asking whether or not the master plan could be used to impact the appearance. The master plan cannot affect buildings and construction directly. However, the goals of the master plan state that the existing urban structure must be taken into account in new construction efforts.
What will happen next in Espoo’s master plan process?
Master plan preparation is a multi-stage process during which the planning is specified step by step. Residents and other parties involved in the matter have the opportunity to participate and affect the outcome of the process in many different phases. The draft phase of the master plan will begin next. After this, the plan draft will be released for public viewing and comments from local residents and other stakeholders.
You can learn about the phases of the master plan work and ways in which to participate on the City Planning Department’s website.
Announcements on the progress of the planning work will be provided through the Master Plan 2060 website and the City of Espoo town plan announcements. If you would like to receive e-mail notifications about plan progress, you can subscribe to our regular Have Your Say Now newsletter
Also watch a recording(external link, opens in a new window) of the info event which sheds light of the master plan work and related perspectives.