Project

The municipalities of Kouvola region, The Federation of Municipalities and The Regional Centre Programme prepared the Tähtitaajamat Development Programme in order to develop the localities of the municipalities. The aim was to build a network of localities which would support the regional centre.

The cooperation was outlined in preliminary reports, which gave the basis for the start of the development work.

The project is administered by Kouvola Innovation Oy, the region’s development company.

On the 1^st of January 2009 the six municipalities of the Kouvola region merged to form the new town of Kouvola.

Description and Goals

The project was administrated in phases. In the first phase (2004 – 2005) a study was conducted to determine the opinions of the local residents and entrepreneurs on the operational environment. At the same time the respondents were asked to assess the physical and commercial functionality of the localities. The final report was published on 29^th June 2005.

In 2006 the localities were evaluated in the marketing point of view. A change in the purchase behaviour was detected in favour of the localities in comparison to regional centres. There has been increased growth within the local centres in comparison to the regional centres.

All results reinforced the need for further actions and led to analysis and proposals for further development of the localities. The former municipalities of Anjalankoski (Inkeroinen and Myllykoski), Elimäki, Jaala, Iitti (Kausala) and Valkeala started their own development projects which were taken over by the Technical Branch of the newly formed town of Kouvola.

The second phase laid the foundation for the actual development project (2008 – 2010), which concentrates on developing the operational environment of the localities and leads to an ongoing long term process.

The project's objective by the year 2011 is that each population centre will have:

1. A functional development group, supported by subgroups, associations and other organisations
2. Established cooperation and operations
3. A strong, diversified profile
4. A written, long term development plan
5. First subprojects started
6. New ventures started according to development plans
7. National and international good practices have been benefited in preliminary work and in applying for funding
8. New service concepts prepared to satisfy the demand