At its meeting, the Urban Environment Committee approved the planning principles of the Länsiväylä environmental component master plan and made four counterproposals to them. In line with the updated planning principles, the component master plan aims at a dense and diverse inner-city structure that would provide housing for at least 10,000–15,000 residents. The plan calls for transforming the currently transport-oriented environment into a high-quality and inviting urban space.
The new areas of Lauttasaari primarily rely on the metro. A tramway solution will also be explored, and there will be a route to Länsibaana through the entire planning area. Adequate space will be reserved for public services. In addition, the demand for office space and commercial services will be investigated, and appropriate area reservations will be made. The component master plan calls for a seaside area where the beaches are primarily for public recreational use. The area will have a connected waterfront route and a continuous, functionally diverse green and recreational network.
However, in line with the counterproposals approved by the Committee, the component master plan will primarily be prepared based on a street-like option for Länsiväylä that takes into account the smooth flow of port traffic. In this street-like option, the marine fill will be more moderate in Lauttasaari than in the original proposal, and the emphasis on infill construction will be transferred from Lauttasaari to Salmisaari. However, it must be possible to ensure adequate water circulation in Lapinlahti. Important natural values and the coverage of green spaces will be preserved. Boating needs will also be taken into account.
The component master plan draft will be prepared based on the Urban Environment Committee’s decision and the updated planning principles. The goal is for the component master plan draft to be ready in the autumn of 2024.
Link to the updated planning principles (In Finnish)
What are the planning principles?
The planning principles are based on the plan’s objectives and scenario analyses developed at the inception stage. The planning principles set out guidelines for the preparation of the partial local master plan.
During autumn 2022 and early 2023, studies and impact assessments were carried out on the scenarios and related solutions, which have informed the development of the planning principles. The study material includes bat and bird surveys, landscape and green structure assessment, a flow study, noise study, tunnel studies, traffic modelling, climate and economic impact assessment. The studies will be expanded on as the planning progresses.
Material in the Map Service
All material of partial local master planning is available in the Map Service(Link leads to external service).
Local master plan of the environment of Länsiväylä
The Supreme Administrative Court repealed some of the City Plan 2016 markings along Länsiväylä, including the City boulevard marking. However, the plan allows for urban construction on both sides of the repealed strip in Lauttasaari. The local master plan aims to combine the areas into a coherent city plan. The local master plan will be prepared in 2022–2025.
The local master planning applies to Länsiväylä and its surrounding areas in Koivusaari, Lauttasaari and Salmisaari. The general objective of the local master plans is to reduce the adverse effects of the fairway-type traffic environment on the population and to explore the possibilities of developing the urban structure along Länsiväylä in Lauttasaari and Salmisaari. The objectives include, for example, determining the area’s land use and traffic as a whole, expanding the inner city, enabling diverse housing production in accordance with the AM programme, diversifying the service structure of the area, providing good locations for business activities and workplaces and creating the preconditions for a high-quality and attractive urban space.
The preparation of the plan shall consider the impact of the plan on the residents’ living conditions, habitat, cityscape, nature, recreation, landscape, cultural heritage and transport, among other things. Particularly important themes will be changes in the transport network and the impact of the new urban structure and any land reclamation on climate and adaptation to climate change, for example. Close cooperation with the transport infrastructure authorities is highlighted when establishing the solution and effects of the transport system. The design solutions for the harbour tunnel to be built by the Port of Helsinki are central to Salmisaari’s land use development opportunities.
You can also find this page at hel.fi/lansivayla-area.