Improving the Architecture of Strategic Territorial Planning Documents in Russia

Abstract

This article provides an evaluation of two documents: the Methodological Recommendations for the Development of Territorial Planning Schemes for Municipal Districts and Master Plans for Urban Districts, approved by the Order of the Ministry of Economic Development of the Russian Federation No. 273 dated May 6, 2024, and Law No. 486-FZ dated December 26, 2024, On Amendments to the Urban Planning Code of the Russian Federation. The purpose of these documents was to streamline the
strategic planning system, integrate master plans into it, and establish methodological guidelines for their development. Both
documents were initially scheduled to take effect in March 2025. However, their implementation was postponed to May, and possibly to the fall of 2025, to allow for revisions. The analysis presented in this article reveals inconsistencies both within the documents themselves and between them, as well as with the current practice of developing master plans. Additionally, the article proposes an alternative approach to defining the role of master plans within the existing strategic planning frame-work. The aim of the article is to contribute to the improvement of the architecture of strategic planning territorial documents the Russian Federation.