Master planning

The city’s master plan is a general land use plan, the purpose of which is to steer the development of traffic and land use and coordinate different activities.

The master plan addresses, among other things, the city’s directions for expansion and reserve areas for housing, transport, jobs, nature conservation and recreation. Master planning is carried out in order to ensure that the urban environment develops in a controlled manner.

Only the planning map and regulations have legal effect; the descriptive report complements the master plan but does not contain legally enforced requirements on more detailed planning. The master plan can cover the entire city or a part of it. The drafting of the master plan is guided by the regional plan and national land use objectives. The master plan, in turn, guides the drafting of detailed plans.

Expanded city centre and new areas for jobs

Two key reforms of the master plan 2035 are related to the expansion of the city centre and the addition of new areas for jobs and commerce in the southern and northern parts of Kerava. In connection with the master planning, the centre of Kerava was expanded by a total of about 80 hectares, enabling renewing infill construction in the city centre. In the future, the city centre can also be expanded to the northeast of the centre as Tuko closes down its operations.

Opportunities for business and industry were promoted by allocating sufficient space for new activities. The area covered by the new master plan includes about 100 hectares of new areas for jobs. Opportunities for retail businesses were also promoted by allocating extensive areas for commercial services near Keravanportti in the area between the Helsinki-Lahti motorway (national road 4) and Vanha Lahdentie (national road 140).

Diverse housing and extensive network of green spaces

The other two key reforms of the master plan 2035 are diversify housing and focus on preserving natural values. Opportunities for diverse housing are ensured by reserving space for single-family house construction in the areas of Kaskela, Pihkaniittu and Sorsakorpi. The plan includes provisions for infill construction in the areas of Ahjo and Ylikerava. In addition, the fields surrounding the prison are designated as reserve areas for single-family home construction.

Green and recreational values as well as aspects related to nature conservation are also widely taken into account in the master plan. The master plan includes a network of green spaces encompassing the entire area of Kerava and key biodiversity sites. In addition, the Haukkavuori nature reserve is now a protected area under the Nature Conservation Act, and the Matkassuo area in the south of Kerava was made into a new nature reserve