Residents show interest in Leppävaara’s new look – Plans improved in collaboration at a resident event at the beginning of June

The information session included discussion on the general outlook for the development of Leppävaara, the background for the change, the objectives of the Leppävaaransilta bridge plan and the area’s current strengths and development needs. The ongoing planning work is based on an international idea competition’s winning proposal titled Walk Around. The content of the proposal was also presented to the residents. The aim is to improve and develop the competition proposal during the planning process.

The latter part of the event was entirely reserved for discussion in small groups. The small groups familiarised themselves with the Walk Around master plan and commented on it from three different perspectives: A safer urban space, a more pleasant city centre and better functioning transport. One of the small group tables was reserved for working in English.

The key word that arose during discussions at the safety theme tables was balance. Participants stated that they would like for the new public urban space to be inviting, but at the same time, for the space solutions to be such that they prevent disruptive behaviour. Such things as good lighting, a clean general appearance, and open urban space were considered safety-enhancing elements. Experiences of insecurity related to the current underpass were also discussed.

The theme of comfort and a pleasant environment was approached from many different perspectives in the discussions. Cleanliness, continuous maintenance and phasing of the construction stage were considered important, as were services such as brick-and-mortar stores, street cafés and playgrounds. According to residents, diverse pedestrian routes also affect how pleasant an area feels. Residents voiced that they would like to see comfortable seating, a recurring art theme, trees and a lot of urban green along these routes. Ruusupuisto park was mentioned as a good example in the area. The participants also voiced their wish for planning to also pay attention to the area’s sun and wind conditions, as well as to the pleasantness of the area in the winter season.

Participants at traffic-themed tables discussed, such things as well-functioning traffic on Ratsukatu, the Turuntie junction, park-and-ride facilities at the station, escort traffic and the possibilities of construction underground. Participants said that from the viewpoint of pedestrians they would like to see better transport connections, especially from the west to Sello. The development of cycle paths received praise, and many thoughts came to light on the topic during the discussion, both from the perspective of smooth travel and safety. Better public transport connections were requested in the direction of both Sello and the Sports Park. A covered warm bus terminal like the one in Tapiola received support, as the current bus stops along Ring Road I and Turuntie were found to be unpleasant.

View the information slides shown at the event(external link, opens in a new window) (in Finnish). More detailed notes on the small group discussions at the event have been documented and saved for the planners to use.

The participation and evaluation plan and the preparation material for the Leppävaaransilta plan were available for public review until 10 June 2025. Read more on the Leppävaaransilta plan web page and in the press release published on 7 May 2025.

After the public review period, the plan will move to the proposal stage. This stage too will include interaction and opportunities for participation. Information on the progress of the master plan process is provided on the Leppävaaransilta planning web page and in the City of Espoo planning announcements.

The north-side of Leppävaara centre will soon change significantly with the preparation of the Leppävaaransilta bridge plan. The central Leppävaara area will become a uniform urban environment when the deck structure crossing the track connects the two sides of the centre area.

The aim is to create a high-quality and pleasant urban environment in which services, housing, jobs and leisure activities are combined and are easily accessible. A key part of the new Leppävaara is a high-quality, lush and pleasant pedestrian environment where moving around is safe and accessible. The number of local recreational opportunities and urban green spaces in the area will also increase.

The plan’s residential construction will bring around 1,500-2,000 new residents and a day-care centre to the area. The current high-rise building will remain the area’s landmark, as new apartment blocks will not rise above it. Office and business premises have been designed for central area, at the new crossing of Turuntie and in the foundations of the buildings along the footpath.

The planning work is based on an international idea competition’s winning proposal titled Walk Around. The idea competition for renewing the centre of Leppävaara was organised in 2022–2024.

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On the Read about and participate in city planning web pages, we provide more information on participation and the different stages of zoning, we present interesting city planning-related themes, such as names, cultural environments and climate-smart city planning.

Public review periods are announced every two weeks, so the newsletter is also published every two weeks.