Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 19 / Trend A. Akhundov /
The main development of the Greater Baku region aims at reorganising the land use on the Absheron Peninsula, chairman of the Azerbaijani State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture Abbas Alasgarov said at 34th session of the Intergovernmental Council for Cooperation in the Construction Industry of the CIS member states in Baku on Thursday.
"In particular, a 3000 hectare industrial area is expected to be recovered in Baku," he said. "This area was a major industrial centre having national importance. Today on the other hand, the facilities have lost their relevance. On the other hand, this part of the city today is located near the centre of Baku's amphitheatre. It does not meet any environmental or functional requirements. More efficient use of the area is one of the top priorities in the next 20-30 years."
One of the greatest reorganisation projects in modern Baku is transferring namely, removing a sea port and a ferry pier from Baku Bay for which a decision was made. The construction of a new international trading port has been launched 65 kilometres from the centre of Baku.
"The parallel construction of new industrial centres of a petrochemical complex along the coast to the south of Baku determines one of the areas of developing Greater Baku towards Alat," he said. "A cement plant, deep water jacket plant, a new gas condensate plant are operating in this area of Baku. A new shipyard and cement plant are being built. All this will lead to the development of a residential area in this part of the region."
Another centre of the industrial load is the city of Sumgait.
"Being the large industrial, petrochemical centre in the past, today Sumgayit is recovering," he said. "During the Soviet era the city was one of the major suppliers of petrochemical products. Today, the largest territories of former factories are regenerated and turning into mobile, modern, multi-technology parks, producing competitive products."
Special attention will be paid to the city of Khirdalan and the adjoining areas. The settlement has been developing over the past 15 years. Taking into account the fact that these years were the most problematic in the field of urban planning, this area of Greater Baku's region requires substantial reconstruction.
The next area of future development is the northern coastline, functioning as a recreational area. Trees will be planted in the future. The entire northern coastline will be developed as an international class resort area. Even today, the area attracts large investors wishing to develop tourism.
"A new citywide centre is being formed at the Heydar Aliyev prospect," he said. "Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev became acquainted with the design work two years ago. The president has voiced the proposals and their on the implementation. The first phase of the scheme of the Greater Baku Regional Development was considered by the public on March 12, 2012 and approved."