Latvian Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development (VARAM) has decided to halt Riga’s territorial planning. The reason given is the non-compliance of the plan with laws and lack of balance between the interests of the sides involved in development of the plan, said minister Artūrs Toms Plešs at a press-conference.
The minister said development of territorial planning failed.
‘The most important aspect is that with new Riga territorial planning coming into force, the capital’s historic centre would be left with no legal territorial plan,’ said the minister.
According to Riga City Council’s decision, there are two mutually uncoordinated territorial plans within Riga’s territory, which is in breach of the law – no more than one territorial plan is allowed to exist in national cities.
According to Riga City Council’s vision, the city’s historic centre would maintain in force the 16 year old territorial plan, which was amended once in 2013 and which is no longer in line with requirements of new regulations.
The minister said the decision to ban gambling in Riga instead of defining separate territories for gambling, as required by law.
As previously reported, in December 2021 Riga City Council approved Riga’s territorial planning until 2030. This plan provides for a full ban of of gambling halls in the capital.
It is planned to shut down all gambling halls and other gambling activities in Riga, except for situation when such services are provided in four to five star hotels.
Riga’s territorial planning is the municipality’s long-term territory planning document that outlines requirements for use of territory and construction, as well as functional zones, public infrastructure and other conditions for use of territory within capital city.
Solutions outlined in the plan apply for the capital city’s territory outside Riga’s historic centre and its protection zones, which all have their own rules.
Riga’s territorial planning will be binding for every private and legal person from the date set by the Ministry of Environment Protection and Regional Development.
Until now the territorial plan that was in force in Riga was from 2006-2018. Development of a new plan continued since 2012. Solutions outlined in the plan are based on 11 thematic plans approved in 2017 by Riga City Council.
In December 2020 Riga City Council decided to improve the existing redaction of Riga’s territorial plan in response to recent changes to regulations, Rail Baltica project, as well as proposals received during the public discussion in 2019.
The Riga territorial planning redaction improved in 2021 and its strategic influence on the environment was presented to the public during last autumn’s public discussion.
Talks continued with local real estate organisations and Riga neighbourhood organisations, as did public discussions this whole time.
Latvian Ministry of Regional Development halts Riga’s territorial planning
