A new urban planning regulation has been approved in Almaty.

The head of the urban planning and urbanism department, Nurlan Buranaev, noted that the new Urban Planning Regulations have been developed as part of the implementation of the General Plan for Almaty until 2040.

“The Urban Regulations define the principles of land zoning, construction, and placement of infrastructure objects, as well as other aspects of urban planning. It is the primary tool for regulating the city's development and is created based on the General Plan, essentially serving as its descriptive component,” he emphasized.

According to him, the previous Urban Planning Regulations were adopted in 2006 and did not align with the current development trends of Almaty. The new document will promote polycentric development of the metropolis and provide a more comfortable living environment for residents in accordance with the General Plan.

One of the innovations in the developed Urban Planning Regulations is the regulation maps, such as sanitary protection zones and wind zoning, aimed at improving the ecological situation and the comfort of the urban climate.

“Such zones have been developed for the first time. For example, the wind zoning map will allow the use of meridional streets as ventilation corridors, meaning homes can be properly oriented for better city aeration,” the department highlighted.

The new document increases the variability of land use to stimulate business, which, as noted, creates new jobs and reduces the transportation burden in the city through the decentralization of employment.