The construction, which includes residential and commercial buildings as well as a new A-terminal, is expected to take several years.

The first phase of the Old City Harbor area plan for Tallinn has largely been implemented, with a bridge over the Admiralty basin (Admiraliteedi bassein kanal) and a cruise terminal have been constructed, plus promenades, a covered parking area for Terminal D and a new plaza in front of the same terminal.

The winning design from 2017 by British firm Zaha Hadid Architects was much more far-reaching than that, however, meaning the work done so far can be considered just the preliminaries.

The grand plans are awaiting the processing of detailed plans. For example, the construction of a new A-terminal building is pending; residential and office buildings, cafes, shops, and recreational facilities are planned to be built by the sea.

The Old City Harbor area is for planning purposes divided into six development zones: Terminal A and the cruise terminal area, Terminal D and its surroundings, the Admiralty basin, the northern detailed plan, the southern area, and the Tuukri area.

Detailed plans are currently being processed for five of these zones.

The detailed plan relating to the Terminal A/Cruise terminal zone, which includes the construction necessary for the port's operations as well as part of the publicly accessible promenade planned for the entire port area, was submitted to the city for approval in June this year, Valdo Kalm, Tallinna Sadam CEO, told ERR.

The new Terminal A development is planned for the site of the existing terminal. The northern part of the building will consist of a covered parking area, while the southern section will be taken up by the terminal.

The building's entrance is to face the Admiralty basin, along with a new square in front of the terminal. Architects Molumba and Marledi won the tender for the Terminal A building design last year.

Kalm said: "The start of construction work is directly linked to the establishment of the detailed plan for the A terminal and cruise terminal area."

Additionally, updated materials relating to the detailed plans of the Admiralty basin surroundings, and those of Terminal D and its vicinity, were also submitted to the City Tallinn in June, Kalm said.

The planning process began five years ago, while it is hoped that the city will approve the plans soon so construction can begin.

"We hope to see some detailed plans approved soon and, optimistically, to have them established by 2025. Following on from that, we will announce the first developer tenders," Kalm went on.

The large-scale development will not rely solely its connection to on the Old City Harbor tram line extension, which is set to be completed this year.

In addition to the tram line, the detailed plans also include provisions for new environmentally friendly bus connections to the area, Kalm said.

2030 development plan still on track

Zaha Hadid's winning project, titled "Masterplan 2030," will see no major changes in terms of deadlines, Kalm added.

"Masterplan 2030+ is still in effect," he said.

"Development is an ongoing process. We hope to have our core infrastructure completed by that time, then we expect to have completed and/or have started the urban and commercial real estate development. Naturally this is an expansive area with significant volume, so development also hinges on market conditions," Kalm said.

The second stage of the development plan calls for transforming the Northern quarter into a mixed-use area, including new offices, a hotel, serviced apartments, IT-related business spaces, and commercial areas.

The 2017 development plan also suggests building a cable car to connect the cruise terminal with the Old Town.

The third phase will expand the traffic area around Terminal D, on reclaimed land. The southern area will involve the construction of offices, shops, and the first residential complexes.

The development plan recommends building a planned Tallinn aquarium development adjacent to the new marina, in the southern area.

Recreational areas connecting the new area with Kadriorg are planned too. The southern area will also host a university campus and startup offices.

In the fourth phase, the Old City Harbor development will be connected to the city center.

Additionally, expansion on to land reclaimed from the sea is to start in the northeastern part of the development zone, where the largest residential complex in the Old City Harbor area are to be built.

The ground floors of these residential buildings will also feature shops, cafes, restaurants, and bars, along with outdoor pools and spas, under the plans.

The 2030 development plan for Tallinn's Old City Harbor also includes a new opera house, with two recommended locations: near the cruise terminal and on the northern edge of the Admiralty basin.

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