The tender for the development of the Masterplan, a comprehensive concept for the development of areas around the future PKM Południe (Fast Urban Railway South) line, has begun. Contractors have 31 days to submit bids: after this time, they will be evaluated and a team will be selected to prepare the document.
The Masterplan is a document that will help plan how the areas of Gdańsk's southern districts can develop in the coming years. It will also indicate how to use the enormous potential created by the construction of the urban railway in one of the city's largest districts – it will facilitate daily commutes, create attractive places to live and work, and attract new investors. The assumptions of the masterplan will be developed primarily by residents, but also by entrepreneurs and investors as part of a broad social consultation process.
A modern approach to planning
The new development of land around the PKM Południe line will be based on the idea of Transit Oriented Development (TOD), i.e. development concentrated around transport hubs. In practice, this means creating dense, convenient buildings in the vicinity of railway and bus stops – so that residents have close access to public transport, services and recreational areas.
A key principle will also be mixed-use, i.e. combining various functions in one place: residential, service, economic, social and recreational. Thanks to this, districts will be created where you can live, work, shop and spend free time without the need for daily, long commutes.
– We want friendly, well-designed places to live to be created in the vicinity of the stops, combining residential, service, social and recreational functions – says Michał Jamroż, project manager. – Places where it will be easy to get to, shop, use services or simply spend time.
Development opportunity
Southern Gdańsk is today a dynamically developing district, inhabited by over 130,000 people.
– We want the south of Gdańsk to develop harmoniously with the construction of the PKM, with the residents, their needs and comfortable everyday life in mind – says Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk. – The preparation of the Masterplan will take approximately 18 months. During this time, both general urban planning assumptions and detailed solutions for the most important public spaces will be created step by step. This is a process that requires time and cooperation, but is crucial for the future of southern Gdańsk.
The new railway line will not only improve transport accessibility, but can also become an impulse for creating local district centers – convenient, green and well connected to each other.
– Residents of Gdańsk, living in the southern part of the city, will have the opportunity to actively co-create their district – says Piotr Grzelak, Deputy Mayor of Gdańsk for Sustainable Development and Economy. – The Masterplan is a process that will be open and transparent. As part of several stages of social consultations, we will jointly decide what functions the areas around the new PKM Południe railway stops should perform.
The Masterplan is intended to prevent spatial chaos and ensure that the development of this part of Gdańsk is well thought out and serves all residents.
– The construction of a railway line running through the southern districts of Gdańsk is also a huge development opportunity – explains Paweł Orłowski, President of InvestGDA. – The Masterplan is to respond to the specific needs of the city and its residents and to set directions for future projects that improve the quality of life. As a municipal company, we have investment land and experience in giving it a new life, which is why we want the document to clearly define the guidelines: from the transport system to the principles of shaping buildings and public spaces, taking into account the needs of residents and entrepreneurs. The document will create a solid foundation for the socio-economic development of this part of Gdańsk and will attract new investors.
This is another initiative jointly implemented by the City of Gdańsk and the Pomeranian Voivodeship government. InvestGDA (Gdańsk Economic Development Agency) and the Pomeranian Development Agency (ARP) are responsible for preparing the plan.
– The implementation of the Gdańsk Nowe Południe masterplan is an example of inter-institutional cooperation that responds to the real development needs of the region – adds Sławomir Kosakowski, President of the Pomeranian Development Agency. – The new PKM Południe line will not only improve transport accessibility and mobility of residents, but will also create an opportunity to integrate various passenger transport subsystems. The Masterplan is to ensure that the development of the southern districts of Gdańsk will be sustainable, long-term and consistent with the strategic goals of the region. At the same time, its assumptions will ensure better access to public services, jobs and attractions in Gdańsk for residents of the voivodeship. A well-prepared document will become a development impulse, attracting investors and supporting the competitiveness of the entire Pomerania.
The project is to lead to the creation of a development plan for this part of the city, and then its implementation. Its backbone will be the extended Fast Urban Railway line, which will better connect the fastest growing part of Gdańsk today with the rest of the city and region.
Work schedule
– The Masterplan is a strategic document that will allow residents, businesses and local governments to determine how they want to see the development of the South of Gdańsk – adds Michał Jamroż. – The first stage is to select an experienced contractor who will prepare a coherent concept that will be the basis for further work.
Work on the Masterplan will be divided into three stages: from the general spatial layout, through building proposals, to the architectural details of selected public spaces. During the implementation, the contractor will conduct extensive social consultations and analyses, including the demand for services and the possibilities of local market development. The entire process will take 18 months from the moment the contract is signed with the selected contractor.
Criteria for selecting a contractor
The selection of the team that will prepare the Masterplan Gdańsk Nowe Południe will not be based solely on the price criterion.
Highly rated will be the proposed participation model and the experience of the team that will work on the Masterplan. The most important element will be the so-called „development program card” (41%), in which bidders will present their vision, method of conducting consultations and methods of working on the document. The additional experience of people involved in the project and the presence of additional specialists in the team (40%) will also be assessed. The price will have a weight of 19%.
– It is very important for us that the Masterplan is worked on by a team with experience in preparing similar strategic documents – emphasizes Michał Jamroż. – That is why we say openly from the beginning: we are interested in the best offer. We care about quality and an ambitious approach to participation, because only then will a document be created that will really help shape the future of this part of Gdańsk.
The schedule envisages that the selection of the contractor will take place at the beginning of November, and analyses and social consultations will begin immediately after the contract is signed. The document will form the basis for the future, sustainable development of the southern part of Gdańsk, drawing inspiration from the best European urban planning, revitalization and transformation of urban areas, such as Nordhavn in Copenhagen, HafenCity in Hamburg and the Léman Express project in Geneva.
