Progress on the city plan for the new district of Viinikanlahti

The total size of the planning area owned by the city is about 40 ha, including areas of water.Viinikanlahti Bay is connected to the city centre and is located along the planned tramway extension.

It is estimated that approximately 3,000 new inhabitants and 250 new jobs will arrive in the area freed up from the wastewater treatment plant, adjacent to Hatanpää highway, Hatanpäänkatu and Lake Pyhäjärvi. Most of the existing area is artificial fill, which is intended to be extended and the shoreline reshaped.

The proposal for the city plan was made available for consultation at the beginning of the year. Comments from the authorities included that the city plan creates the conditions for a high-quality urban environment, and that the reshaping of the shoreline will allow for the expansion of the area to accommodate new housing in a suitable location and a green corridor along the waterfront. The plan material has also been thoroughly prepared and the planning solution carefully justified. The artificial filling of the shoreline will be decided during the water permit procedure.

The main comments were requests for clarification and implementation of the plan proposal. Some people felt that the infill and the scale of the development were too large and that the city plans were detrimental to the view of the shore, or they wanted, for example, the shore route to remain unchanged. The feedback also praised the plans.

An international idea competition was organised for the new district of Viinikanlahti in 2019–2020. The winning entry has served as a basis for the further planning of the area. The Tampere City Image Committee notes that the quality and ambition of the competition phase has been maintained in the city plan.
 

Revisions to the city plan material

The city plan proposal and its accompanying material have been revised since the material became available for consultation in the spring of 2024.   Traffic on the Hatanpää highway has been streamlined, for example by adding a four-way junction on the Hatanpää highway and by reviewing the number and length of turning lanes. The plans for the Viinikanlahti city plan and Hatanpää highway were coordinated with regard to the perimeter area of the blocks, the provisions for technical structures, and the construction of pedestrian and cycling routes and noise protection.

The plan map has been revised, including the designation of kiosks, school centre courtyard buildings, balconies and service roads. The regulations on parking, noise and vibration have been updated.

On the map, the designations for a swimming beach, a pedestrian and cycling underpass and a block of buildings for community development have been added. A commercial survey of suitable commercial, service and office space in Viinikanlahti has been carried out.

The minimum floor area for residential and commercial floorspace has been revised downwards in blocks where a reduction had not already been made at the previous plan stage. The total revised area of the planning area is approximately 200,000 floor square metres of which the share of housing is approximately 136,500 floor square metres. The total commercial space is approximately 15,300 floor square metres.

Building guidelines have been reviewed and updated in the light of changed regulations and the comments. The impact assessment has been updated to include the information provided in the water permit. and visual material has been revised. The general plans for the urban environment, transport and streets, outdoor public spaces, community development, the noise survey and the plan economy report have been updated. The amendments do not require the plan proposal to be reopened for consultation.

Content of the city plan

The new residential area of Viinikanlahti will consist of twelve residential blocks around a central square and two block parks. The courtyards will extend to roof level and the outer perimeter of the blocks will have terraces connected to the residential and commercial areas. The waterfront blocks will be lower with staggered roofs and partly timber-framed. There will also be taller tower sections on the street side of the blocks.

The shoreline area will become a public park with a beach, rowing and canoeing centre to be developed for water sports and hobbies, and a playground. Near the beach, space will be provided for a sauna, among other things. A harbour will be located in the middle of the park, serving both people who go boating as well as official activities. A waste water treatment plant will also be located in the eastern part of the area.

The shore park will extend between residential blocks at two block parks. Block buildings have been placed in the block parks, which can be used, for example, as shared spaces and community housing services. There will be trees and vegetation in the courtyards of the blocks and some of the roof surfaces have been designed to be green.

City services and business premises

A school, day-care centre and sports hall will be located in the western part of the area. The maximum number of pupils and children in day-care is 425 children, and the school is planned to have room for pre-primary education and grades 1-2. Space has also been reserved for youth facilities and harbour support functions.

Business space has been reserved for the hotel's needs along the Hatanpää highway, and two towers have been reserved for accommodation or an office hotel, for example. Facilities for a grocery store are proposed for the area next to the Central Square and public transport stops. A larger grocery store can be built at the western parking facility. The street floor facilities next to the Central Square and harbour are reserved for smaller shops and services, such as restaurants and their terraces.

New pedestrian and cycle bridges and other transport links in Viinikanlahti will make travel to the city centre smoother. Public transport stops will be located at Central Square and at Viinikanlahti park. Access streets will also provide access to, for example, mobility services, shared transport vehicles and energy supply facilities centralised at two shared parking facilities in the area. Greens structures, playing fields and solar collectors, for example, can be placed on the roofs of the car parks.

The roads between the residential blocks will take the form of courtyard streets with short-term parking and multi-layered vegetation. The central location and functions of the area will also enable an active car-free lifestyle.
The relocation of the waste water treatment plant to Sulkavuori in 2025 will free up land in a good location connecting the city centre and the southern districts. Existing buildings will be demolished and land and water areas cleaned, after which a new shoreline and urban environment can be built. It is estimated that the area will be completed by 2035.