Östersundom planning

The aim of the area is to create a small town close to nature with rail traffic

The design principles that formed the basis of the draft were approved by the Helsinki Urban Environment Committee on 19 December 2023 link to the Committee’s decision(Link leads to external service). The design principles were on display in September 2023 and were also presented at the resident event.  

In accordance with the design principles approved by the Urban Environment Committee the Östersundom area is being designed as a consistent whole based on the light rail line, with consideration for the green network and the most valuable nature areas. The aim is to make the area into a small town close to nature with robust rail transport.

The light rail line will mainly run along the Uusi Porvoontie road, connecting to Itäkeskus. New construction will primarily be located along the rail line and lean on existing infrastructure. The partial local master plan will preserve areas with the most significant natural values and indicate a comprehensive network of nature conservation areas.

The realisation of the area is tied to the rail transport decision, however, so large-scale construction will only take place in the long term. Until then, the focus will be on infill construction of existing areas with low-density housing, development of the network of green areas and outdoor recreation trails, and the construction of areas of employment.

Background of the component detailed plan's design principles

A partial local master plan identifies the area’s key community structure and focuses on issues that are central to the urban structure, such as housing, the location of workplaces and services, transport connections and the recreational and green network. The partial local master plan steers the detailed planning of the area.

In 2022, the City of Helsinki drew up seven different land-use scenarios for Östersundom. Their impact were assessed on, for example, nature, birdlife, cultural environment, climate, transport and the economy has now been assessed. On the basis of the land-use scenarios, impact assessments and feedback received, design principles have been prepared. They are available for comments from 4 to 29 September 2023.

The design principles will be submitted to the Urban Environment Committee in November or December 2023. A draft partial local master plan is expected to be completed in 2024 and a plan proposal in 2025.

You can find the design principles, impact assessments and The design principles and the change of the local detailed plan in the Helsinki Map Service.

Read more about the partial local master plan, detailed plan and other plan levels

Detailed planning of existing areas with low-density housing

The City of Helsinki is preparing changes to the detailed plan for the existing areas with low-density housing in parallel with the work on the partial local master plan. Currently under way are changes to the detailed plan for Landbo and the northern part of Karhusaari.

A detailed planning programme has been drawn up for the existing areas with low-density housing in Östersundom, specifying the areas where infill development will be possible before starting the project development committed to rail transport in Östersundom.

The areas included in the planning programme are established areas with detached housing and will mainly remain so in the future. Additional construction will require the development of water supply.

Even though the building prohibition is no longer in force, as a rule Helsinki’s unplanned areas can be considered to be action areas, meaning a building permit requires a positive decision on the need for planning. 

As a rule, positive decisions on the need for planning will only be made for the demolition of an existing residential building and its replacement by a new residential building.

Read more about the detailed planning schedule in the detailed planning programme for existing areas with low-density housing in Östersundom 2022 (PDF, In Finnish)

You can also find this page at hel.fi/ostersundoms-plan.