What is being built at Pulkovo heights. Planetograd vs. Pulkovo Observatory, or How New Development Threatens Russian Science
A recent story with the Soyuz MS-10 has brought space to the forefront of the information agenda. We all know that Russia is a great space power. No wonder domestic engines are now on American rockets, and NASA astronauts fly to the ISS on board the Russian shuttles. But the claims of a country to space are not based solely on engines, rockets and satellites. No less important here is the theoretical foundation. That is why we would like our astronomy to stand firmly on its feet and develop as rapidly as possible.
Unfortunately, a concrete example from the recent history of St. Petersburg shows us that everything here is far from being as smooth as it could be. NEVSKY NEWS previously wrote about the complex observatory that has now formed around Pulkovo, also known as the GAO RAS. Recall that a number of developers are planning in the coming years to erect a massive residential complex Planetograd on the territory of a three-kilometer protected park zone at Pulkovo Heights. It is designed for thousands of apartments and a hundred thousand inhabitants.
In February last year, the St. Petersburg Union of Scientists sent to Prime Minister Medvedev and Governor Poltavchenko open letter in which it was noted that the appearance of a new small town under the walls of the observatory will completely destroy the fragile astronomical climate of the area. Dusting the air, as well as additional illumination of the night sky, will make astronomical observations from Pulkovo Mountain impossible.
So far, neither the protests of scientists, nor the active struggle to preserve the Pulkovo Observatory, unleashed by activists, have yielded unambiguously positive results. The construction of Planetograd, although it is slowed down, is still considered legal, as it is based on existing permits issued by officials in Smolny. Lawsuits are ongoing regarding the rights of developers to build.
Activists hope that they will be able to defend, for Russian science, the dark sky above Pulkovo Heights and the observatory itself. So far, however, everything is not going as well as we would like. In particular, there is no distinct response from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation.
However, there is an opinion that the main detractors of the GAO RAS settled not at the federal, but at the city level. For most of the past decade, Smolny, under the pretext of attracting investments, has been actively selling land located near significant historic buildings and architectural ensembles. That is how developers got rights to the territory of the protected park near Pulkovo Observatory.
The Pulkovo Observatory is a cultural heritage site protected by both UNESCO and Russian law. Culture is culture, but one can hear from apologists for housing construction on its territory that the scientific significance of this object is not the same as before. Consensus in the academic community itself shows the failure of these arguments. So, say, in the list of the most important astronomical studies compiled by the Russian Academy of Sciences in 2017, three projects implemented at the Pulkovo Observatory are included at once.
If, due to the loss of the Petersburg sky, scientists from the GAO RAS will have to move to Karelia or, as some have suggested, to the Caucasus, building a similar base for advanced research there will not be so easy. Surely it will be quite expensive. Thus, due to the short-sightedness of the St. Petersburg bureaucracy of Damocles, the sword hung not only over the important cultural monument of the Northern capital, but also over all domestic science.
The combination of a picturesque area and low prices, transport accessibility and clean air, urban comfort and rural tranquility - these are new buildings of the Pulkovo Heights.
Residents of the Pushkin district mainly work in the center or other parts of St. Petersburg, but do not spend 2-3 hours on daily trips. Four city routes give you the opportunity to choose a short way.
The number of new buildings at Pulkovo heights
The surrounding nature attracts those wishing to buy an apartment in a clean and beautiful place, while saving half the cost of housing in the center. Around the Pulkovo Heights, new buildings appear one after another - in a couple of years the district will turn into a full-fledged part of St. Petersburg with a large population, well-developed infrastructure, although even today the area cannot be called abandoned or backward.
According to official statistics, over the past 5 years there have been 40,000 inhabitants. Back in 2012, experts at the Restate portal noted the growing activity of the development of Pushkin and Moscow districts. When there were no white spots in the northern part of St. Petersburg, the developers moved south. Separate houses, complexes and quarters of high-rise and low-rise buildings appeared in local cities and towns. Since then, the number of finished objects and new buildings at Pulkovo Heights has been steadily growing.
How to choose a new building near Pulkovo heights?
The company Red Arrow offers apartments in the residential complex Neoclassic, a promising complex at the intersection of the main city highways. A cozy quarter of four-story houses will be the best place for a young family, having children, relaxing after a working day. Look at the projects and sketches, choose the layout of the apartment, the cost - all this can be done on the company's website.
Still have questions? Contact a sales person. A specialist will help you choose housing, explain in detail each stage of the purchase, show the object on the ground. Call, specify the cost, calculate costs taking into account discounts and special offers. It becomes faster and easier to become the owner of an apartment under construction at Pulkovo Heights with professional support.
In early June, it became known that the Pulkovo Observatory will close all its observational programs within five years and transfer them to other bases. This decision was made at the RAS. This was preceded by several years of disputes and courts over the construction of the Planetograd residential complex observatory in the protective zone. Employees of the Pulkovo Observatory and city defenders have said many times that the construction is illegal and will interfere with observations.
"Paper" collected everything that is known about the future of the Pulkovo Observatory, the vessels due to the construction of Planetograd and the reaction of Petersburgers to the cessation of observations at the institution that has been working in St. Petersburg for almost 180 years.
For nine years now, they have been trying to build the Planetograd residential complex near the Pulkovo Observatory. City defenders and scientists opposed the construction
Around the Pulkovo Observatory there is a three-kilometer defense zone. It is forbidden to build industrial facilities and large housing on its territory, any construction must be agreed with the observatory. In 2009, it became known that in this zone south of the institution it is planned to build the Planetograd residential complex with an area of \u200b\u200bmore than 2 million square meters. m. The project is implemented by the construction company Setl City together with the Israeli company Morgal Investments.
Even then, the project was criticized by the scientific staff of the observatory, saying that the light from the construction site and in the future of the LCD itself would interfere with observations.
The development project was approved by Smolny. And then the new director of the observatory
In 2014, the planning plan for development was approved by Smolny. In the same year, the first work began. In February 2016, the scientific council of the Pulkovo Observatory refused to agree on the construction of Planetograd in the protective zone. In May 2016, the director changed at the observatory - Nazar Ihsanov became the new leader. At the end of the year, he agreed on the development. By this time, Smolny approved an increase in building height to 18 m. At the end of 2016, full-fledged construction work began.
Scientists and Petersburg city defenders criticized the decision of Ikhsanov. In February 2017, 127 employees of the Pulkovo Observatory issued a vote of no confidence to the new director. Ihsanov explained that there were no reasons for refusing approval.
In early 2017, the director of the observatory announced the termination of observations in St. Petersburg in the future
Nazar Ikhsanov in February 2017 said that the observations of the Pulkovo Observatory are planned to be completely transferred to the Caucasus, where there is already a suitable site for these purposes, and to stop observations in St. Petersburg.
Ihsanov also said that in St. Petersburg there is a "bad astroclimate." “The development of the observatory observatory in Pulkovo is already ineffective, this is, in fact, squandering public funds. The Academy of Sciences recommended that we develop external bases back in 2009, ”he said.
At the end of 2017, the city court canceled the permission to build the Planetograd residential complex
In the spring of 2017, an initiative group of defenders of the Pulkovo Observatory filed several lawsuits in connection with the construction of Planetograd. In November 2017, the Kuybyshevsky District Court, according to one of the lawsuits, illegally building the Planetograd residential complex and canceled the building permit.
The Setl Group then did not agree with the decision, believing that the construction is carried out legally. The developer appealed the verdict of the first instance in the city court, but this instance also sided with the defenders of the Pulkovo Observatory.
In May 2018, the Supreme Court declared the Planetograd planning project legal
On May 23, 2018, after an appeal from the developer, the appellate panel of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation recognized the design of the Planetograd residential complex next to the Pulkovo Observatory as legal. Thus, she overturned the decision of the city court of St. Petersburg on one of the claims of the initiative group of defenders of the Pulkovo Observatory, which was connected precisely with the planning project, and not with the building permit.
Pulkovo Observatory will cease astronomical observations for five years
On June 5, the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences decree, which implies that the Pulkovo Observatory will curtail all its observational programs for five years. Astronomical observations will be transferred to other observational bases located in "more favorable astroclimatic conditions." What specific bases are in question has not yet been specified, however, the observatory mentioned the site in Kislovodsk.
The observatory explained that so far it is only about observations. The staff of the institution does not move anywhere and will continue scientific work in the same building.
City defenders intend to appeal the decision of the Supreme Court
Activist Anastasia Plyuto, one of the plaintiffs, said the decision of the Supreme Court would be appealed. However, as Plyuto told The Paper, by June 13, the plaintiffs had not yet received a written part of the court decision, so they cannot appeal against it yet.
Activists also appealed to Russian President Vladimir Putin with a request to prevent construction around the observatory, to cancel the decision of the Russian Academy of Sciences to transfer observations to other bases and "take measures against the policies of the current director."
At a public hearing in the village of Shushary, a land development project was presented, which begins at the intersection of Pulkovo and St. Petersburg Highways. The developer intends to build a housing estate for 7500 residents. Judging by the fact that not one of the three people who came to the hearing spoke out against, the project will be implemented. Thus, next to the Observatory at Pulkovo Heights, the first large-scale construction will begin.
The estimated start date for the project is 2012. The construction company has already received all the necessary approvals.
http://gorod-pushkin.info/strojka-pulkovo-05-11
In addition, a project is underway for the integrated development of the territory “On Tsarskoye Selo Hills”,
involving the development of the Pulkovo Heights area with buildings up to 60 meters high.
UPDATE: Added project declaration for the construction of a residential complex as part of integrated development of the territory
The project provides for the development of two privately owned land plots.
The territory of 203.4 hectares, land plot No. 21 in accordance with the General Plan of St. Petersburg is intended for low-rise multi-apartment buildings. According to the Law of St. Petersburg "On the Rules of Land Use and Development of St. Petersburg" dated February 16, 2009 No. 29-10, the maximum height of buildings and structures on the territory is 18 meters. The volume of construction of residential and commercial buildings will amount to 2,500,000 square meters.
A public and business area of \u200b\u200b31 hectares has been allocated along the Petersburg Highway for the construction of commercial facilities, such as business centers, supermarkets, shopping and entertainment complexes, which are aimed at residents of the district under construction, residents of the cities of Pushkin and Pavlovsk and a tourist flow of 3 and a half million a year.
Territory 112.7 hectares - land plot No. 23 in accordance with the General Plan of St. Petersburg is intended for medium and multi-storey multi-unit buildings.
According to the Law of St. Petersburg "On the Rules of Land Use and Development of St. Petersburg" dated February 16, 2009 No. 29-10 the maximum height of buildings and structures in the territory is 48 meters with dominants of 60 meters. The volume of construction of areas for various purposes will be 2,500,000 square meters.
The territory of the future international exhibition congress center, designed by Gazprom structures, adjoins the western border of the site. In order to create a single business space, a 26-hectare public-business zone has been allocated, which will include shopping and entertainment and business complexes, 2 hotels, 2 cinema multiplexes, apartment hotels, restaurants, conference rooms, a family recreation area, SPA area.
It is planned to place a complex of religious and ritual objects of the Orthodox Cathedral on the territory adjacent to the Pulkovo reservoir.
http://devcent.ru/projects/detail.php?ID\u003d34
Employees of the Pulkovo Observatory have already tried to deal with the project of continuous development of the Pulkovo Hills. Obviously, they were not heard, although it is completely clear that such a building will harm astronomical observations.
The area of \u200b\u200bthe Kuzminki River and the Pulkovo Heights was the line of defense of Leningrad in 1941-1944, there are still a lot of unburied remains and not neutralized shells. It is unclear how to build there!
The historical natural landscape at the entrance to Tsarskoye Selo and the architectural and landscape dominant of the southern gate of St. Petersburg - Pulkovo Observatory will be completely destroyed.
It was a calm natural landscape that prepared for the perception of the suburban royal residence. What can be a country residence among high-rises?
It seems that the population density of villages around Tsarskoye Selo under Catherine II, referred to by the authors of the project, was much lower. Peasants lived in subsistence farming, worked in the surrounding fields, rarely traveled to the city.
And how to cope with the flow of residents, tourists, summer residents two miserable roads to Pushkin is a big question. Not to mention other infrastructure. There is no work in Pushkin, there will be no metro, and at least 3 more of the same cities are going to build in the district.
Design declaration for the construction of a residential complex as part of integrated development of the territory
in the western part of the Pushkin district of St. Petersburg "On Tsarskoye Selo Hills".
Please note - the beginning of the project - March 2011!
The declaration was published on June 2.
Following Setl Group, other developers are starting to develop areas adjacent to the intersection of Pulkovo and Volkhonskoye Highways. In the foreseeable future, they plan to build at least three more large residential complexes there. LIVING figured out the specifics of this place.
At the end of January, the City Council considered a low-rise block project between the Volkhonsky, Kievsky and Rekhkolovsky highways. The sketch of the new microdistrict was completed by Studio-AMM by Yuri Mityurev by order of Development Corporation LLC. They plan to build more than 70 hectares. On the territory will be able to live 8 thousand people. The total area of \u200b\u200bapartments will be 221.6 thousand square meters. meters.
First home
While architects are studying the new project, new housing is already being built in the area. Not far from the Pulkovo Observatory, the company is building. Initially, it was planned to build four blocks of low-rise buildings, but the project provoked protests from city defenders. According to activists, the illumination from the new area would put an end to astronomical observations. After long disputes and trials, the project was still recognized as legal, but shortly after this decision of the servants of Themis, the developer announced that the area of \u200b\u200bPlanetograd would be reduced by four times. The decision was explained by the fact that they "went towards the public."
LCD "Planetograd". Render from the developerSouth of Planetograd, on the corner of Pulkovo and Volkhonskoye Shosse, the company is preparing to build a multifunctional residential quarter. On a plot of 30 hectares they want to build about 500 thousand square meters. meters of residential and commercial real estate. In addition to housing there will appear a shopping and entertainment center, a water park, a sports club, a business center and a hotel. The company reports that the project will be implemented by 2024-2025.
A site with an area of \u200b\u200babout 200 hectares on the other side of the Pulkovo Highway belongs to VTB Development. There, within the framework of the Yugtown project, they plan to build about 600 thousand square meters. meters of low-rise housing, designed to accommodate 20 thousand people. Another 510 thousand "squares" are allocated for infrastructure - they promise to build three schools, seven kindergartens, clinics, a post office, three business centers and the movie theater Lenfilm Park. The latter will be a fake street, stylized for different eras, designed for filming films.
Pulkovo ObservatoryBetween Planetograd and Pulkovo Heights, on the site of the flower nursery, another residential project was planned - the City of Flowers. The company "BKN-Development" was going to build there by 2020, 740 thousand square meters. meters of real estate. However, later the developer changed his mind and canceled the construction.
Unpleasant neighborhood
Of course, Pulkovo Heights is a very picturesque and convenient place. The park at the observatory, beautiful views of the city, 20 minutes by bus to the Moskovskaya metro station, the proximity of the Expoforum exhibition center - all this adds to the status status. But the planned residential development is concentrated a little to the south, where with all the beauty described above, the adjacent places are no longer so pleasant.
LCD "Yugtown"Yuzhny solid waste landfill
The famous South Landfill, although it was closed in 2014, when its restoration began, and, in fact, the falling of smoldering garbage into the ground, continues to live. According to Yuri Shevchuk, chairman of the North-West inter-regional public environmental organization Green Cross, told LIVING, illegal landfills continue to grow. Over the years, people have become accustomed to taking garbage to the border of the city and the region, because it is convenient. The fact is, the border in this place is zigzag and it is difficult to understand where the lands of which region are, respectively, and it’s hard to find out who should deal with “illegal” garbage.
Silt map
To the west of Volkhonskoye Shosse, there is the existing settler of the solid component of Vodokanal's wastewater - the so-called silt map. At the last stages of water purification, a layer of sludge is formed, which is transported to similar hydraulic structures. There it dries. When the wind is blowing, the “specific” smell from this process, mixed with the “aromas” of the dump, spreads for many kilometers.
The airport
According to the Lenaeroproekt Institute information, part of the Planetograd territory falls into the potential development restriction zone due to exposure to radiation from Pulkovo airport locators. The director of the ECOM center of expertise, Alexander Karpov, also calculated his radiation area from one of Pulkovo’s locators, based on the “Methodological guidelines for determining electromagnetic field levels and hygienic requirements for the placement of VHF, UHF and microwave radio engineering civil aviation equipment”. The results confirm that the locator can affect the area of \u200b\u200bdevelopment. In addition, with the approval of Planetograd. The Federal Air Transport Agency expressed concern that the development will interfere with the work of the locators and affect the safety of flights.
Pulkovo AirportTheme of Eternity
Opposite the landfill and silt map is the Southern Cemetery. It is the largest in St. Petersburg and one of the largest in Europe. Residential complex Pulkovo Heights and Planetograd will be located less than two kilometers from the graves. Of course, the proximity to the necropolis will not be able to affect the physical health of residents of new buildings, but the funeral PAZs constantly passing outside the window are unlikely to add joy to the life of the average citizen.
In addition, the front line of the defense of Leningrad passed through the territory of all three planned residential complexes in 1941-1944, there was a known height of 66.6, for which there were especially heavy battles. For several years, about 300 thousand people from both sides died in Pulkovo. The remains of soldiers continue to be found there until now.
“There is a lot of necro-background in this place, which greatly affects the people who live there. In a short period of time there died a painful and violent death a huge number of people. This left an imprint on everything that is there, ”says Yuri Shevchuk. - It is no accident that in such locations they always tried to develop memorial parks, for example, the Green Belt of Glory runs along Pulkovo Heights. These places have not been built up for a very long time. ”