Helsinki approves economic policy goals for land use: diverse location opportunities and business-friendly service

In the coming years, the City of Helsinki aims to promote the preconditions for business activities more efficiently through land use. According to the economic policy goals for land use approved by the City Board’s Economic Development Sub-committee on Monday, 14 March 2022, Helsinki wants to promote diverse location opportunities for various kinds of companies, support innovation and sustainable growth, develop business-friendly service processes and offer more experiences and events in the city.

“Helsinki wants to ensure a competitive operating environment for business. The city must be ready to respond to the changing needs of the business community and ensure that companies can find diverse location opportunities in the city in the future as well. This increases the attractiveness of our city and strengthens our outlook when there are enough opportunities for entrepreneurship and jobs,” says Juhana Vartiainen, Mayor of Helsinki.

According to the economic policy goals approved by the Economic Development Sub-committee, it is essential to identify the premises and plots needed for various types of business activities and to actively monitor the development of economic activities and anticipate their effects better than before. The city is also expected to respond to changing business needs quickly enough.

“Successful business activities provide jobs and services not only to city residents, but also more extensively to people living elsewhere and visiting the city. The new guidelines aim to steer land use such that land is used in the most valuable way possible,” Vartiainen says.

Growth across the city

The economic policy goals for land use apply to the whole city. It is essential to ensure that there will continue to be a wide range of premises and plots available as required by developing economic activities. The City of Helsinki also wants to strengthen the position of the city centre as the country’s most important concentration of business, administration, jobs and services, and to intensify cooperation with operators in the city centre. The economic policy objectives also emphasise, among other things, the importance of attractive office and service clusters, business areas serving the needs of companies and diverse commercial services.

“The city plays a significant role in securing a competitive
operating environment for business activities. The City of Helsinki’s land
ownership and planning play a decisive role in terms of business operations and
thereby also the location of jobs in the city,” says Marja-Leena Rinkineva, Director of Economic Development at the City
of Helsinki.

“At the same time, we want to promote business in a more personal way as a city. Our goal is to clarify the service paths for companies to increase solution-oriented, transparent and predictable business services,” Rinkineva adds.

Climate and sustainability aspects emphasised on the property market

Global development trends, such as climate change, digitalisation and urbanisation, have a strong impact on the city’s economic activities and land use needs. Digitalisation and the revolution in retailing have an impact on companies’ use of space, location of various activities and logistics. Helsinki is investing in, for example, the promotion of the circular economy and the development of new energy solutions by making them possible in terms of land use. In the future, it is important to find enough locations in the city for circular economy activities with different space requirements. 

FACT BOX:
Helsinki’s economic policy goals
for land use guide plot assignment, land use planning and use of premises

The City Board’s Economic Development Sub-committee approved the
City of Helsinki’s economic policy goals for land use at its meeting of 14 March
2022. The document on economic policy goals for land use (Elinkeinopoliittiset
tavoitteet maankäytölle, ELMA) consists of a total of 39 guidelines to be
implemented by Helsinki in the coming years to promote the preconditions for
business activities. From the point of view of economic policy, the document
further specifies and supplements the city’s previous guidelines for plot
assignment, land use planning and use of premises.

Helsinki’s economic policy goals for land use are divided as
follows:

1. Diverse location opportunities for
   different companies
2. Innovation and sustainable growth
   through land use
3. Experiences for everyone in Helsinki
4. Business-friendly and customer-oriented
   service processes

News photo: Pasila is one of Helsinki’s developing areas with plenty of new
business activities. Photo: Jussi Hellsten.