Specialists from Rezekne and Kraslava Municipality, Daugavpils City Council and Joint Municipal Institution “Rēzekne Special Economic Zone Authority” together with representatives of Latvian Office of Euroregion “Country of lakes” visited Panevezys and Visaginas (Lithuania) with the aim of gaining experience in planning of brownfield development in other municipalities during a 3-day study visit.

On the first day of the trip, Panevėžys City Municipality Administration planning specialists presented the biggest projects related to the development of brownfields in the city. The priority of the municipality is to preserve the natural values of the urban environment, to promote the attractiveness of these areas for visitors and to apply business development.

 

Panevezys is a region that has in recent years discovered its potential for attracting foreign investors and attracting EU funding for infrastructure projects for business and tourism development. During the visit, the Panevėžys Special Economic Zone, one of the largest economic zones in Lithuania, was visited, and most competitive. Its main investors are Norwegian, German and French companies, which are currently operating in 19ha territory from the total 47ha.

During the visit, such objects as the Skaistakalnis park – the former military aviation base and the glass glass studio “Glass Remis”, the hotel “Romatika” – the former mill, the city art gallery, the city water treatment company and other objects to be developed were visited. One of the main lessons for spatial planners is the importance of time and resources in developing qualitative projects that are of particular interest to Panevezys City Municipality.

 

On the third day, the specialists visited the industrial municipality of Visaginas, which, thanks to the implemented EU projects, is also characterized by modern and creative urban objects – the cultural center of the former school, the rest area of Lake Visaginas, sports stadium and others. The “push” for urban and business development planning was the closure of a nuclear power plant that used to employ more than 5,000 inhabitants.

One of the latest business promotion objects is the Smart Park Industrial Park, which is being developed in the former military city area of 9ha and will soon be handed over to the investor. Currently, a new office building has been built in the territory, all utilities have been installed, a parking lot, a driveway, the area is free from slums, waste and bushes, it is planned to expand.

In Trans-form, the municipality of Visaginas develops technical documentation for demolition of a former school building to transform the vacated area into a green area of the city.

The trip was organized from 25 to 27 February 2019. A similar “response” exchange visit in March 2019 will also involve spatial planning specialists from Visaginas and Panevezys to the Latvian municipalities involved in the project.

 

L.Upeniece

Project Information Specialist