Tartu approves plan for new six-story police headquarters

The Tartu city government has approved a detailed plan for a new urban district in the Annelinn neighborhood, including a proposed six-story police and border guard (PPA) headquarters, to address space shortages in the current facility on Riia tänav.

The plots at Kalda tee 5 and Kalda tee 11 and their surrounding area in Annelinn, Tartu, are currently largely undeveloped and mostly consist of natural land. The development area is located in the immediate vicinity of the A. Le Coq sports hall.

Approximately 13 buildable plots are planned for the roughly 10.5-hectare area, said Tartu Deputy Mayor Kertu Vuks.

The central feature of the new urban district will be the new PPA building, which may have up to six stories. The maximum permitted building footprint is about 7,600 square meters.

"When initiating the plan, the city relied on the fact that Kalda tee 5 is designated as national defense land in the comprehensive plan, which allows for the construction of a building suitable for police needs in the future," Vuks explained.

The current PPA building in Tartu is located on Riia tänav and serves as a regional center covering six counties. The building, completed in the early 1970s, is rented by the PPA. However, policing has evolved significantly over time, and the current facility no longer provides sufficient space for work or service delivery, said Lauri Tamm, head of the information bureau of the South Prefecture.

"To successfully carry out our current duties, we have adapted the existing space as much as possible. However, we have reached a limit — our facility no longer meets our technical needs, and we are unable to provide modern working conditions for our officers," said Tamm.

For example, a police dog kennel is located on Riia Street, but there is no training field for the dogs near the building. The new building could improve working conditions for both the dogs and the officers, Tamm added.

"The main benefit would be improved working conditions and the ability to better use the capabilities that have been added to the police over time, so we can ensure internal security more effectively," he said.

At the same time, the development must take into account that one-third of the planning area is designated as green space, which cannot be fenced. Footpaths may be designed to run through this area.

"A preliminary strategic environmental impact assessment has already been carried out there, and the green area will be preserved — it also contains protected species," said Vuks.

Parking solutions will be determined during the design phase, and a