Tampere bypasses serial complainant by leasing tourism area rent-free

Tampere has taken the unusual step of leasing the Maisansalo tourism area to its intended buyer for free in order to bypass a formal complaint that threatened to delay the project, reports Yle.

The city-owned area, located on the shore of Lake Näsijärvi in Teisko, was sold to the development company Teiskon vihreä unelma (Teisko’s Green Dream) for €540,000 in February. However, a local man—known for filing repeated complaints against city decisions—submitted a request for rectification in March, halting the sale process.

To avoid further delays, the city’s property director issued an official decision on April 17 to lease the three-hectare site and its buildings to the company at no cost during the complaint review period. The city justified the move by stating that collecting rent for the short-term lease was not deemed practical, as the property is being sold at market price.

“This is not a standard procedure,” said Pasi Kamppari, the city’s land chief. “Normally, transfers proceed without complaints. But here, the risk is that development projects stall due to appeals, so we’re using the tools at our disposal.”

The company will begin development work immediately, funding renovations and upgrades at its own risk while the complaint is processed. Plans include opening a terrace at the Kartano restaurant for May Day (Vappu) celebrations, followed by renovations to a public sauna. Long-term goals involve transforming the area into a year-round events, sauna, and tourism hub, with full accommodation services expected by 2027.

The complainant, a Tampere resident with a history of over 100 rectification requests and at least 81 administrative court appeals, has previously caused significant delays to city projects. While the lease agreement is temporary—terminating once the sale is legally finalised—even this decision could face a new complaint.

The city’s housing and property board will review the original rectification request at its meeting next Thursday. If rejected, the lease period begins the following day.