Region of Helsinki

National Planning Context Urban Region of Helsinki Geography Statistics Trends Historical development Strategic Planning Strategic development programs Major projects 1 Major projects 2

Region of Helsinki

National Planning Context

Government
There are three levels of government in Finland - the State administration. The Regio (11 provinces) and the municipalities, of which there are 446. The detailed plan level (asemakaava), varies from a broad zoning document to outline planning permission. Within Finnish planning law this is deemed to be the development control level. It is only a detailed plan that has the legal sanction to establish development on a site or to change the land-use designation, although the master plan can determine land-use changes for larger areas. A detailed plan must broadly conform to the aims and polities contained within the city-wide master plan. The statutory master paln guides the detailed planning stage. If however, the masterplan is non-statutory and acts only as a guideline, then in principle, the detailed plan does not necessarily have to follow the stated policies. In practice, since the Municilal Council is the local planning authority making the decisions at the detailed plan level, the Council has the right to make exemptions where there are exceptional reasons. State provinces (20) national planning policy guidelines regional plans municipal land use plans

municipalities (446)

The Procedure:
The drawing up of plan is generally the same for all levels of plans. A central aspect is the widened scope

Land-use planning in Finland:

Land-use zoning is the principle means of regulating landuse in Finland. The new Land Use and Building Act 2000 have three types of development plan: the regional plan (maakuntakaava), the masterplan (vleiskaava) at the citywide or district level, and the detailed plan (asemakaava) for sites. The process is strictly hierarchical in nature. In practice, this translates into each of the higher levels needing to govern the next planning stage, as well as the lower plan having to be in egreement with the higher plan. The Government decides on national planning policy guidelines (valtakunnalliset alueidenkytttavoitteet). < Back The regional plan (maakuntakaava) is prepared jointly by the Regional Planning Authorities within the Helsinki metropolitan area, comprising the City of Helsinki and surrounding municipalities. The regional plan is set of structural guidelines that are legally binding, as the Ministry for Environment has to ratify the Plan.

of public participation during the process. In this respect, the urban planner must draw up a public consultation and impact assessment document (osallistumis-ja arviointisuunnitelma) at the outset of the planning stage for public consumption. All plans are normally placed on public view within the planning authority for further comment. Important plans may also be available to view n local neighbourhood centres. Residents, businesses and written representations from other departments, adjoining municipal athorities, State departments and other agencies form part of the official process. < Back

The public planning organisation The Master plan (yleiskaava) covers the entire municipality. It is essentially a land-use zoning map designating areas of land in terms of five broad categories (housing, commercial, mixed metropolitan uses, public utilities and parks). The main traffic network and future plans form a material part of the master plan. The provisions contained within the city-wide plan are normally legally binding. The new Act has given planning authorities delegated powers to decide whether or not their plan will be statutory or non-statutory plan. In municipalities planning may also prepare a local plan (osa-yeiskaava), which bridges the gap between the master plan and the detailed plan. The local plan outlines a development areas land uses and overall character, primary road network and transport connections, green areas, together with essential local services such as schools, nurseries, library and local shopping facilities. The overall scale of development, maximum permitted floorspace capacity, block plan layouts and parking requirements form the central core of each local plan. < Back
Planning level Local/Urban: land-use plans structure plans Regional: Regional Plans (stategic plans, programmes and implementation plan) National: National land use guidelines Planning authority Municipalities: Plannin Authority Democratic mandate Local council: elected every 4 years

Urban region: Office of the Regional Councils

Regional Council: elected every 4 years indirectly by municipal councils

Cabinet: Minister

Parliament: elected every 4 years

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Region of Helsinki

Urban Region of Helsinki

Political persuation
Helsinki + Uusimaa city councils 2000 52% 23% 8% 27% 8% 16% 10% 3% 5% regional council01-04 chosen by city councils 17 votes 5 votes 21 votes 6 votes 13 votes 6 votes 2 votes 2 votes Finnish national parliament 03 69% 25% 11% 23% 8% 14% 9% 3% 6% European parliament 99 35% 16% 6% 31% 8% 22% 11% 2% 3% voting rate Social Democratic Party Centre Party National Coalition Party Left Alliance Green League Swedish Peoples Party Christian League Rest

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Efficiency on built areas (built m2/areal m2). 1.5 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.1 0.0 2.1 1.5 1.0 0.8 0.6 0.4 0.2 0.1

Non-residental floorspace is > 50% of total floorspace

Region of Helsinki

Geografy

Landuse (2001)
(Helsinki Metropolitan Area)

Water Residential area Rest urban area Industrial and warehouses Infrastructure Agriculture Nature/recreation Rest non urban area Total

71.760 ha (49%) 12.185 ha (8%) 4.835 (3%) 3.518 ha (2%) 5.345 (4%) 6.360 (4%) 26.674 (18%) 15.813 (11%) 149.490 ha (100%) < Back

Region of Helsinki

Statistics
Population (2xxx)
Inhabitants 1.304.595 0-14 years 15-64 years 65+ years (18,2%) (70,3%) (11,6%) - appartments - rental houses - built before 1970 Average inhabitants per dwelling

Housing
Number of dwellings 618.299 (65,5%) (39,3%) (40,0%)

Public facilities
Hospital 67

Employment
Labour in total 988.148 non-working 312.000 labour force 676.109 unemployed 55.441 Employed (jobs) 659.114 agriculture 0,1% munufacturing 20,6% services 78,7%

Economy (BNP:

%)

Transport
Number of cars private: business: Number of bicycles: n.a. 525.682 (87,1%) (12,9%)

education universities students cultural institutes museums theatres cinemas 9

Urban commercial activities - offices - restaurants - hotels International attractions Airport

95 84 65

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recretion (in ha) local regional natural parks

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Trends1985-2005
Population
1.400.000 1.200.000
500.000

Schedule
Population Finland Helsinki Region Helsinki Employment Finland Helsinki Region Helsinki
1985 1990 1995 2000 2005

Employment
700.000 600.000

1985 4.910.664 991.335 485.795 1985 2.423.000 590.000 353.600

1990 4.998.478 1.044.309 492.400 1990 2.467.000 653.200 367.900 1990 -7,1 -4,1

1995 5.116.826 1.120.539 525.031 1995 2.072.000 549.000 298.000 1995 -3,6 -4,7

2000 5.172.121 1.211.562 538.800 2000 2.209.000 603.000 328.000 2000 -1,2 0,4

2010 5.233.104 1.232.525 543.000 2010 2.289.000 639.000 347.000 2005 4,5 4,6

1.000.000 800.000 600.000 400.000 200.000 0 1985 1990 1995 2000 2010
400.000 300.000 200.000 100.000 0

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Historical development 1850-1980

1850 1940 1980

Economic growth Finland Helsinki Region

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1995

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Region of Helsinki

Strategic Planning
Helsinki Master Plan 2002 Helsinki Master Plan 2002 - implementation plan

Major projects areas in the Region

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Helsinki City Park and Green Finger Network

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Region of Helsinki

Strategic development programs

Southern Finlands strategic regional urban structure

Helsinki Metropolitan Area: Transport System Plan (PLJ 2002) Road and Rail Projects

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Helsinki Metropolitan strategic planning aimsa, Economic network

Helsinki Master Plan 2002, strategic planning advice Communacations development programme

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Region of Helsinki

Major projects 1
Major projects
Espoo: Espoo Mansion Espoo Center Suurpelto project Tapiola project City-rail extension Western metro Helsinki-Espoo-Vantaa E18-highway Fast rail Kerava-Lahti Vantaa: Marja-Vantaa Marja-railway link Aviapolis Savio-Korso K2-project Helsinki: Malmi-Airfield Center-Palisa Jtksaari Kalasatama Viikki Kruunuvuori Vuosaari Harbour

Region of Helsinki

Major projects 2
Vuosaari Harbour Centre
With one third of the total value of Finnish foreign trade passing through Helsinkis harbours. Harbour Project construction is under way for a new, modern harbour in Vuosaari, with cargo traffic due to move there from the West and North harbours in 2008. Vuasaari Harbour Centre will be located on the site of the former shipyard. The project is being planned jointly by the Port of Helsinki with the Finnish Maritime, Rail and Road Administration.

E18 - motorway
The main European motorway in Finland runs from the south western coastal cities of Turku and Naantali through the entire Helsinki Metropolitan region and extends all the way to the Russian border in the eastern provinces, The E18 motorway is a key part of the Pohjala triangular traffic network in Finland with that which connects the Nordic capital cities to Russia and the Central European cities. The Pohjola triangle belongs to the EU priority list of programmed traffic and transport projects. In Finland, it covers the issues surrounding the main road and rail networks for the Metropolitan region right up to the eastern border. The traffic orginisation also includes the sea channels, the harbour and major airports. The Pohjola triangle is a central part of the < Back countries traffic web.

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Aviapolis
The airport city - profiled as alogistic center in the Metropolitan area comprising approximately one million inhabitants - provides a competitive operating environment in the middle of the markets of Northern Europe, Russia and the Baltic States. The Helsinki metropolitan area houses more than 40% of Finlands high-tech industry, which is choosing increasingly to locate in the vicinity of the airport. The largest single project within the Airport Alliance is AVIAPOLIS. In the future, the floor area will total approximately almost 500.000 square meters and provide 10.000 jobs.

Kalasatama regeneration project

The existing Kalasatama harbour, which sits on the eastern perimater of the inner city, is being transferred to the new hitech goods harbour at Vuosaari. The resultant regeneration of the area will strengthen the city structure overall. In practice, it will enable this eastern part of the downtown to receive a dramatically new maritime image and replace the former one of heavy industrial and fish harbour to that of a prosperous commercial and and residential centre. This new regeneration development belt forms part of the Arabia art and science shoreline and Viikki eco-villages that are currently under construction immediately to its north stretching into Ring Road I Network. A new metro station will stand at the very heart of the development.

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