Helsinki looks further east beyond Sipoo

After getting the go-ahead on Tuesday for the annexation of parts of the southwest of the neighbouring municipality of Sipoo, and a small part of Vantaa, Helsinki is now looking further east for more urban expansion.
     On Tuesday the Supreme Administrative Court rejected appeals made against a government decision to authorise the change in the municipal boundaries, giving Helsinki an area of 30 square kilometres in the Itäsalmi area of Sipoo, and the so-called Västerkulla wedge as of the beginning of 2009.
     "It is a very significant decision from the point of view of urban structure. The city is finally expanding eastward", says Helsinki Mayor Jussi Pajunen.
     In his view, the annexation is just the first phase.
     "The impact of Sipoo's new areas is limited in time. It will take 10 to 15 years before these areas are part of the urban structure."
     After that, the development of the urban structure in the east would be something that Helsinki, Sipoo, and Porvoo would work together on.
     
Some Helsinki politicians are going even further. Kai Kalima, chairman of the Social Democratic party group in the Helsinki City Council, says that either Sipoo needs to be included in the same regional association, or it should be merged with Helsinki.
      Suvi Rihtniemi (Nat. Coalition Party), chairwoman of the City Council, takes a more conciliatory tone.
     "The shoreline is always very interesting. However, I believe that it will be possible to cooperate with Sipoo in the future. Porvoo is also surprisingly close.
     
The decision was met with bitterness in Sipoo.
     "This has been a serious blow to democracy. We had the faith that legislation would have saved us. The question arises, if there is rule of law here or not", said Christel Liljeström (Swedish People's Party).
     "Our growth plans were not taken into consideration", says Sipoo Municipal mayor Markku Luoma.
     The Sipoo municipal board plans to calculate the monetary losses for which it plans to demand compensation from Helsinki.
     Municipal income tax revenue is expected to be reduced by 13 per cent, or EUR 10 million. The value of lost buildings and municipal infrastructure is estimated at EUR 40 million.
     
Luoma also calculates that land use agreements of the area that is to be taken over by Helsinki would have brought in EUR 100 million to municipal coffers.
     Helsinki plans housing for about 40,000 people in the area. It is not certain how dense, and how high the residential areas will be.
     The Helsinki Metro will probably be extended eastward from Mellunmäki with as many as four new stations on the route.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  PM Vanhanen leans on Chancellor of Justice guideline in Sipoo annexation question (14.6.2007)
  Centre Party fears Sipoo border shift proposal sets bad example (13.6.2007)
  Helsinki gets go-ahead to annex southwest Sipoo (15.1.2008)
  HKL: After Matinkylä phase, Helsinki metro should be extended to neighbouring Sipoo (28.8.2007)