The municipality of Ii received a concrete master plan for the Sääskenharju circular economy park
The municipality of Ii has ambitious circular economy goals. One of the development targets is the Sääskenharju circular economy park, where up to 98 per cent of materials and energy will be utilised in internal circulation. Sweco’s experts drew up concrete steps for the development of the area.
The Sääskenharju Circular Economy Park is planned in the municipality of Ii next to the quaddruple road. As the logistical hub of the Bay of Bothnia, Ii will also have many other green transition investments, such as large-scale wind and solar power parks. The location in Sääskenharju is almost perfect.
“There has previously been a landfill site in the area, so there are no settlements or easily disturbed natural sites nearby,” says Helena Illikainen, Director of Vitality of the municipality. Logistically, Sääskenharju, located between Oulu and Kemi, is also easily accessible, and raw materials and materials important for the circular economy come from nearby industry and construction.
The framework partner knows the area well
The environmental consulting and land use experts of Sweco, the framework agreement consultant of the municipality of Ii, we selected to draw up the masten plan. “Our work was made easier by the fact that we already know the region well, as we are also currently preparing a master plan for the municipality of Ii,” says Martin Brandt, Sweco’s circular economy development and project manager.
The project was commissioned by the municipality of Ii, but the actual responsibility was held by Ii Micropolis. The project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), which set a tight timetable for the preparation of the master plan. It was completed in less than four months.
“The work went as agreed and easily with Sweco’s experts,” Illikainen says. The greatest added value of the consultant was his versatile professional skills, which helped him to look at the matter from many angles. “We gained expertise in zoning and land use, assessing the availability of raw materials and circular economy environments.”
Prioritising the needs of circular economy companies
At the beginning of the process, Sweco’s experts defined the starting points for the area. Background information was obtained from Ii´s roadmaps for resource wisdom and circular economy, as well as from Sääskenharju’s vision. “In addition, we investigated what kind of material and side streams and operating environments can be found near Sääskenharju,” says Nina Aarras, Sweco’s Leading Circular Economy Specialist.
Valuable information on the needs of circular economy companies was collected through workshops and interviews. Discussions were opened at both local and national level. “Having a local view is important for the end result to be truly successful,” Aarras emphasizes.
Illikainen also considers business cooperation to be of great importance. “It is easier to start building an entity like this when companies are involved in the development work from the very beginning.”
98% of raw materials are utilised on site
The master plan for the circular economy park presents the most important potential development directions, recommendations for activities to be located in the area and a 10-year action plan for the development of the area. Sääskenharju has set an extremely ambitious target to produce, process and utilise 98% of its raw material side streams and energy on site.
“It requires connecting the processes of several different actors, but the municipality of Ii has every chance of success,” Brandt believes. The most important thing is the municipality’s internal will. “The municipality of Ii has already demonstrated its readiness to drive forward ambitious green transition projects with determination and taking different stakeholders into account.”
The development plan supports the zoning of the circular economy area
Two different versions of the Masterplan were made, the more general of which can be used in marketing and more detailed in the internal development work of the municipality. The master plan has already proved to be an important document for the municipality.
“We have presented it to circular economy companies, many of which are currently operating in Southern Finland, and the interest in our region has been a very pleasant surprise,” Illikainen says. Special praise has been given to the fact that the needs of circular economy companies have already been taken into account in the source material.
Illikainen is satisfied with the end result. “We got what we were looking for, which was to gather together the area’s background information, potential and future planning base.”
Next, the municipality will acquire land and prepare for the launch of zoning. The structural model of the master plan serves as the basis for zoning the area. We are also applying for a pilot project in which it is possible to apply for a joint environmental permit for the area.
“At the same time, we are also creating a business base for the area, and companies such as GRK are already operating in Sääskenharju,” Illikainen says. According to his estimate, the Sääskenharju Circular Economy Park could open more widely to companies in 2–3 years.