Objectives to be prepared for planning Mustalahti in Espoo
The detailed planning for Mustalahti will start with the preparation of the objectives of the plan. The focal points of the objectives will direct the planning and complementary building of the Mustalahti detached house area. Planning will take into account the continuation of the Espoo Waterfront Walkway and the significant natural values of the area. The possibility of storing boats in the area over winter will also be investigated. The City Planning Committee will discuss the objectives for Mustalahti at its meeting on 22 May 2024.
The planning area is located at the bottom of Espoonlahti in the Kurttila district, near the border of Kirkkonummi. The area does not have a detailed plan. This will now change as a detailed plan will be drawn up for the area once the objectives, on which the plan will be based, have been prepared. The focal points of the objectives will direct the planning and complementary building of the area. In Espoo, the practice is to prepare starting points and objectives for large regional entities or extensive individual detailed plans. The Mustalahti detailed plan is one such extensive individual detailed plan, which means that objectives must be prepared for it. The objectives will clarify and direct the coming detailed planning.
People have wanted the area to have a detailed plan for a long time. With the new plan, it will be possible to build more detached houses in the area in the future. When implemented, the plan will complement Kallvik and the surrounding areas. There are several different landowners in the area. The City of Espoo owns a large area of land in the vicinity of the Åminne brick factory, and the possibility of having a winter storage for boats in the area is being investigated.
Rich cultural history and significant natural values of Mustalahti to be taken into account in planning
At the moment, the area is a loosely built detached house area with cultural historically valuable sites. The old shared beaches are a reminder of the area’s fishing culture. The Åminne brick factory operated in the area from 1886 to 1914. Today, only the base of the factory dock and the ruins of factory buildings scattered around the area remain of the brickyard. Surveys have already been carried out in the area, and the planning will continue to take the area’s cultural historical values into account.
In addition to cultural history, the planning area has significant natural values, such as the flying squirrel and the moor frog. There is also an occurrence of the rare beetle species Macroplea pubipennis in the vicinity of the factory dock. The western edge of the area is bordered by the Natura 2000 area of Espoonlahti–Saunalahti, which sets certain conditions for the planning. Local natural values have already been surveyed, but as the planning progresses, the data will need to be updated.
The detailed planning will strive to protect local natural and cultural values so that they do not deteriorate. As part of the planning work, the continuation of the Espoo Waterfront Walkway to the Mustalahti area will also be examined and investigated. The current waterfront walkway extends to Kallvik, just off the border of the Mustalahti plan area.
The City Planning Committee will discuss the objectives for Mustalahti at its meeting on 22 May 2024. Once the objectives have been approved, the preparation of a participation and assessment scheme and the further planning of the detailed plan will begin. At its meeting, the City Planning Committee will decide whether a residents’ event will be organised for the interested parties and landowners of the area when the participation and assessment scheme of the plan is made available for public review in early autumn 2024 (the time is an estimate).
City Planning Committee agenda 22 May 2024/Case no. 5(external link, opens in a new window)