We would like to tell about our experience, both as a means to describe the context and area of our work, as well as to outline specific issues and challenges that we faced in our projects, demonstrating the skills we possess as a group.
Our experience can broadly be classified into the fields of spatial planning, regional development and environmental planning and management. Geographically, we have worked mainly in Latvia, but also in Russia, Estonia and Lithuania.
We have completed projects focused on municipality spatial plans, local detailed plans and projects on planning system and methodology.
Municipality spatial plans
In 1994, the Latvian system of spatial planning was very new and most municipalities did not have their own dedicated city planners, yet they all needed spatial plans. Responding to this need, our main field of activity since the start has been preparing municipal spatial plans. Below are some case studies in this field.
The detailed plans are required in the Latvian planning legislation for bigger development sites in key locations. Specific sites where detailed plans are needed are specified in the spatial plan of a respective municipality. The detailed plan tests the feasibility of the development considering the context and constraints of the site, like visual impact, infrastructure and so on. It specifies zoning and land use, massing parameters, transport infrastructure, utilities demands and connections and other important information needed to understand the impact of the site on the surrounding territories and to prove the feasibility of development.
As we have accumulated considerable experience in planning in Latvia, we are often asked to provide advice on planning system and methodology of planning. Selected case studies in this area are:
General building regulations: 2008-ongoing
We are currently assisting the Ministry for Regional Development and Municipal Affairs to formulate the framework for the new spatial planning system in Latvia, which became necessary after the administrative spatial reform that amalgamated 550 local municipalities into 109 new municipalities.
The features we propose as a part of this new system are unified land use zoning system, unified building ratios system, special attention to such important areas as cross-sectoral issues like waterfront development, emphasis on more thorough environmental and transport studies, as well as provisions for effective public space
Latvia sustainable development strategy until year 2030 (spatial planning part): 2008
We have been asked to participate in formulating the spatial development part of Latvia sustainable development strategy until the year 2030, as well as to moderate a spatial planning workshop in the national forum organised to discuss the strategy.
REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
We have worked on a range of nationally and internationally sponsored projects on regional development issues
