Almaty Master Plan - when the city's main document will be approved

Tengrinews.kz — The Almaty General Plan adjustment project is currently undergoing a comprehensive urban planning expert review. The final conclusion is expected shortly, in September. Should the review be favorable, the city's primary development document will be submitted to the government for approval.
Almaty General Plan: How the city's master document was amended
In late December 2025, Almaty held public discussions regarding amendments to the city's General Plan. It was then revealed for the first time that multi-story residential complexes would replace portions of the private housing sector. Residents were given the opportunity to voice their opinions, and feedback was collected.
The subsequent phase followed from January to April 2026:

impact screening;
scoping;
review of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) report for the draft amendments to the General Plan.

The SEA report was presented at public hearings in Almaty on June 30, 2026.

"Questions outside the scope of the environmental hearings—such as changes to land use designations, the repurposing of land plots, renovation of specific areas, or disagreements with design solutions—do not fall under the SEA's purview and were not addressed or were dismissed during the hearings," the Almatygenplan Research Institute explained in response to a Tengri Home inquiry.

Notably, the SEA process is considered complete only after receiving a quality assessment conclusion from the Ministry of Ecology and conducting public hearings.

"In its conclusion on the quality assessment of the SEA report, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources officially confirmed compliance with all public notification requirements. No orders to rectify procedural violations were issued by the authorized body. The report was deemed satisfactory, and no grounds for revising the SEA materials were identified," Almatygenplan added.

In short, all requirements have been met. Consequently, the amendments to the city's General Plan have been submitted for comprehensive urban planning expertise.

"The comprehensive urban planning expert review is expected to conclude in September 2026. Once a positive conclusion is secured, the project is slated for submission for government approval," the institute concluded.

Issues raised by Almaty residents at the hearings
Following the June 30, 2026 hearings, all comments and suggestions were included in the official minutes, which were published on the website of the Almaty Department of Architecture and Urban Planning.

"A total of 84 appeals were recorded. A significant portion of these were collective submissions filed by groups of residents with attached signature sheets. Consequently, the actual number of Almaty residents whose positions are reflected in the hearing materials far exceeds the number of recorded appeals," Almatygenplan specified.

Residents primarily raised concerns regarding the redevelopment of private residential sectors (Turksib and Zhetysu districts; Shuakty, Mayak, Karagaily, and Meiram neighborhoods; the Aviator gardening association; and the areas of Baum Grove, Kompot, and Kok-Tobe), road extensions, the preservation of summer cottages, the restoration of irrigation ditches (aryks), and other local issues.
Officials responded that redevelopment plans would be abandoned in certain areas, such as the foothills. In other cases, they emphasized that the General Plan does not serve as a legal basis for the seizure of land plots or the demolition of residential homes.

"This issue concerns many who attended; while it doesn't strictly pertain to ecology, I will address it. Your constitutional rights are not being violated. Residents' opinions will be taken into account during any territorial reconstruction. There will be no forced demolitions. These are civil relations with a future investor, should one even emerge. In the future, if even one resident does not agree, no one will demolish your home or buy you out. Your consent is paramount. If an investor cannot reach an agreement with you, no one can purchase your plot; it is your inviolable property," stated Askhat Saduov, Director of Almatygenplan, in response to such inquiries.

The General Plan represents a vision for the city's development. Specific projects for various territories will be developed later, between 2030 and 2040.