Local detailed planning in Bergönranta requires good cooperation with property owners

A partial master plan for the area, which would have made it possible to approve building permits for property owners, has already been drawn up previously. However, the plan was rejected in the Administrative Court. According to the Administrative Court, relatively compact and efficient construction in the Bergö area would require detailed planning, which in principle should utilise a local detailed plan. The partial master plan does not provide sufficient guidance to construction and other land use in the area.

The preparation of the local detailed plan was launched at the request of the property owners. The City Planning Committee set goals for the local detailed plan of Bergönranta in autumn 2025. Based on them, the Urban Planning Department has prepared a participation and assessment scheme as well as preparation materials, which are available for public review until 8 February 2026. The plans are only preliminary, which makes this an excellent time to participate in the planning.

The City Planning Department organised a residents’ event in Vikingaborg on 20 January 2026. The goal of the event was to collect information on the perspectives of local property owners and other participants and to share the changes that a local detailed plan will cause in the area. Discussion was lively among the 44 attendees.

The plan area is located in southern Bergö where the shoreline has villa type detached housing. Town Planning Manager Ossi Keränen explained that the goal is to allow moderate building of a more dense housing structure in the area while taking into account its significant natural, landscape, and cultural environment values.

The wishes of property owners for additional construction on their plots are a key starting point. The City Planning Department will continue the discussion with them after the event.

A local detailed plan differs from a partial master plan in that it requires the city to build municipal infrastructure. As the population and traffic in the area increase, its water supply will be renovated, and Bergöntie will be changed into a street. This means the installation of street lighting and widening the current road, among other things.

New recreational areas must also be designated for recreational use to safeguard the nature values of the nature reserve. The preparation material lists several potential locations for recreational areas, but according to landscape architect Anja Karhula, it is unlikely that all of them will be realised. The number, location and size of recreational areas will be specified as the plans progress.

The city only owns small parts of the area. The recreational areas and the street under construction concern some of the property owners, and negotiations will be held with them.

Land use specialist Tommi Henriksson explained the principles of land use agreements. Landowners who benefit from the local detailed plan through a significant increase in the value of ground are obliged to contribute to the costs of urban construction. The amount of compensation is determined on the basis of Espoo’s valid land use agreement principles. The current “contract threshold” for the increase in the value of ground is EUR 450,000. This means that the land use fee is only calculated from the increase in value that exceeds this limit.

The determination of the market value and the land use agreement negotiations will take place after the plan proposal has been approved for discussion by the City Board.

Residents were particularly concerned about the width of the street and light pollution from the streetlights. However, many liked that planning was moving forward since they had been waiting for the possibility for additional construction for a long time.

Nature values, the role of the nature reserve in the area, and the future recreational areas caused a lot of discussion. The participants considered it a good thing that the new recreational areas are being planned to be as natural and forested as possible. No constructed parks are currently being planned.

The natural values that were identified in a recent nature survey will also affect land use planning on plots, as all natural values must be taken into account in further planning.

Landowners were particularly interested in the market value of their ground now and in the future, as well as in the transfer of public areas. It is too early for the city to determine the value, therefore landowners are encouraged to find information in advance. Upon request, the city can offer advice on the valid calculation principles. The market value of ground will be determined in accordance with international property assessment standards.

Many participants were interested to hear how the overall planning of Suvisaaristo islands was progressing.

Ossi Keränen explained that there would likely be pressure to draw up a local detailed plan for the Suvisaaristo islands at some point. In places, the amount of construction already exceeds the threshold for local detailed planning. On the basis of the partial master plan for the Suvisaaristo islands, building permits can currently only be approved for construction that replaces existing buildings.

The local detailed planning of Bergönranta is going to have to address many tricky questions in cooperation with local property owners. If successful, Bergö could be considered a pilot site where appropriate solutions for Suvisaaristo are developed together.

This residents’ event launched a discussion which will continue intensively throughout the planning process. The goal is to find the best possible solution for the area.   

The local detailed plan for Bergönranta is in the preparation phase, which means that the plans are preliminary. The plan’s participation and assessment scheme and preparation materials are available for public review until 10 February 2026, 15:45 o’clock.

You can submit written feedback on the plans during the public review period. In your feedback, please explain which parts of the plan you agree or disagree with and why. In addition, you can provide information on the area that you consider important for the planning. You can find the materials on the plan’s website and instructions on how to submit your feedback.

The local detailed plan for Bergönranta is in the preparation phase, which means that the plans are preliminary. The plan’s participation and assessment scheme and preparation materials are available for public review until 10 February 2026, 15:45 o’clock.

You can submit written feedback on the plans during the public review period. In your feedback, please explain which parts of the plan you agree or disagree with and why. In addition, you can provide information on the area that you consider important for the planning. You can find the materials on the plan’s website and instructions on how to submit your feedback.

Keep up-to-date with the planning process

You can stay up-to-date on the progress of the plan on its website, through Espoo’s plan announcements, or by subscribing to the Act Now newsletter.

• Go to the plan’s website.
• Espoo’s plan announcements are available here.

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