ИСТИНА

In the last decades of the 20th century, urban shrinkage has become an evident process in many countries. The prime feature of urban shrinkage is a significant, long-term, and stable depopulation which alters the cityscape and infrastructural requirements. In post-Soviet Russia, ca 70% of cities have lost population. The new demographic reality necessitates a rethinking of planning in such cities. The current research is focused on the formation of an urban planning agenda in small and medium-sized shrinking cities, as well as the analyses of how this agenda is shaped by the main actors and their coalitions. The empirical data were obtained through the analysis of planning documents and semi-structured interviews with representatives of administrations, business, and the local community in Vorkuta (Komi Republic) and Apatity (Murmansk region). The key topic of urban policy and planning lies in the creation of conditions for maximizing profits from the use of real estate and land. A typical situation, illustrated by the data from Apatity, is planning for growth under conditions of shrinkage due to the lack of actors specifically interested in the change of planning strategy, as well as a deep misunderstanding of shrinkage’s complexity and its consequences. Vorkuta turned out to be a rare exception with developed planning for shrinkage. This is due to the mutual interest of the local administration, which owns about 60% of the housing stock, and the main business with the formation of a clear alliance aimed at the optimization of the cityscape and costs reduction.