Formation of a sustainable approach to the development of the Arctic and provision of events of master plans of Far Eastern and Arctic cities are the key topics of the XIV International Forum "Arctic: Present and Future" named after A.N. Chilingarov. Murmansk Region was represented in St. Petersburg by Deputy Governor Olga Vovk.
"When developing master plans for our settlements, it is important to find a balance between putting the existing infrastructure in order and creating a new one, so as not to inflate the budget costs for construction and maintenance. In the Murmansk Region, such a balance was found. I would like to voice our vision at this forum, because an important part of it is the resolution and the solutions that are proposed to further help develop the entire Arctic zone of Russia," the vice-governor emphasized at the plenary session "Ahead of Challenges: Future Trajectories for Subjects of the Arctic Zone."
On behalf of the President of Russia, the events of the master plans of the cities of the Far East and the Arctic will be prioritized, becoming part of new national projects. In turn, the expenses of national projects are a priority of the federal budget.
In July 2023, after Vladimir Putin"s visit to the Murmansk Region, 16 key settlements of the Arctic zone were identified. The region"s representatives include the Murmansk agglomeration (Murmansk, Kola District and ZATO Severomorsk), Kirovsko-Apatity agglomeration (Kirovsk, Apatity, Polyarnye Zori) and Monchegorsk agglomeration (Monchegorsk).
Priority projects have already been selected to be implemented in the key settlements. They are planned to serve the development of not only the agglomerations, but the entire Kola Arctic. One of these is the creation of a world-class campus in Murmansk, which was also supported by the head of state, which he announced at the Eastern Economic Forum.
"The campus and the Arctic Center for Marine Engineering Development will be formed on the basis of the Murmansk Arctic University as part of its further modernization. The concept is currently being developed. I think that construction activities will begin no earlier than in a year," Olga Vovk noted.
Another large planned construction project is underway in Kola, where project financing has been allocated for a residential complex. An agreement has already been signed with the company implementing the project for the implementation of activities to connect to utility networks. Olga Vovk reported this at a working session of the forum "Comfortable minus 40: housing and urban environment in the Far North". The region assumed the costs of providing electricity and heat at the expense of an infrastructure-budget loan. This will reduce the cost of purchasing apartments for the population and show federal developers who are only considering the possibility of implementing projects in the Murmansk Region the government"s readiness for dialogue.
/ Ministry of Urban Development and Improvement of the Murmansk Region /
