‘It’s no secret that Kazan is pulling labour out of the districts’: Taliya Minullina to stop commuting?
Ten investment projects totalling 230 billion rubles were approved yesterday at a meeting of the Tatarstan Investment Council under the leadership of Rustam Minnikhanov. Despite that the most capital-intensive project was the construction of the second stage of Ammonia-2 mineral fertiliser plant worth 160 billion rubles, the construction of three industrial parks near Kazan worth 70 billion rubles was recognised as the most important for the Tatarstan economy. Since this year, the Investment Development Agency has made it a rule to transfer plots taking into account the polycentric development of the Kazan agglomeration. A sensational resuscitation of the crematorium project in Kazan is on the way, but with a new partner.
Backed by own capital
Interest in the Tatarstan market continues to peak — private investors do not skimp on grandiose projects, despite the Central Bank keeping the key rate at an exorbitant level of 16% per annum. Yesterday's morning, at a meeting of the Investment Council in the Government House, 10 investment projects totalling 230.14 billion rubles were “defended”. This is an absolute record in recent years. According to the agency, about 20 thousand new jobs are going to be created due to them in the future 3-5 years.
But now investors are relying on equity, although “hard” loans don't seem to stop either. But on what terms they are going to attract the missing borrowed funds remains a mystery. For example, the project manager, director for development at Ammonia JSC, Alexander Osipov, after defending his grandiose project worth 160 billion rubles, carefully avoided the slippery moment, arguing that issues with banks are being addressed. In general, they preferred to keep silent about loans rather than talk.
Ammonia-2 received 64 hectares of land near the main plant
However, the project of the second stage of Ammonia-2 mineral fertiliser plant just led to an investment record in the spring of 2024. According to Alexander Osipov, the construction of the second stage will be financed from own and borrowed funds, and the first products will be released in 2028. He did not name specific creditor banks, but it is possible that federal infrastructure development institutions will be among them. The Investment Council approved the allocation of a land plot with a total area of almost 64 hectares to Ammonia-2 near the Ammonia base plant in the Mendeleevsky district, the head of the Investment Development Agency, Taliya Minullina, told reporters. “We are transferring a plot of 63.7 hectares without bidding. The site is large, near Ammonia-1," she clarified. According to her, work is to be carried out on the transfer of land (eight plots in total), after which the investor can begin construction of the plant.
The developer Ammonia-2 did not request any other benefits. According to Minullina, there is no problem with connection to utility networks in this area, so there should be no delays in the start of construction. According to her estimates, the plant is to be put into operation in 4 years — by 2028. Alexander Osipov, the project manager, director for development at Ammonia JSC, added that the return on investment will be 10 years. At the same time, international sanctions on the supply of technological equipment will not stop the construction of the plant, he assured. “The equipment will be from Russia and friendly countries, the distribution will be known based on the design results," Osipov said.
Industrial parks have been fit within polycentricity
Meanwhile, the head of the agency considers the approval of projects of three industrial parks near Kazan to be the most important results of the investment council. We are talking about the construction of two industrial parks in the Vysokogorsky district and one in the Verneuslonsky district, which were targeted by MUSSON GROUP PLC. In total, the investor is going to invest 70 billion rubles.
The largest — Agropolis with an area of 313 hectares — will be located in the area of the Biruli railway. It is designed for processing agricultural products. In another part of the Vysokogorsky district, along the M7 highway, near the villages of Estachi and Permyaki, an industrial park will be located on an area of 284 hectares. Given that it is located near Atmosphere residential complex, it can be expected that it will provide the residents of this complex with jobs. We should add that the lands of Dzhaudat Minnakhmetov are located opposite, who was going to build housing in partnership with Samolet Group, but the latter withdrew from the project. The third industrial park will appear on the territory of the Kildeevsky rural settlement of the Verkhneuslonsky district and is designed for 3,000 jobs.
“These big projects will help stop commuting. It's no secret that Kazan is pulling labor from these areas," Taliya Minullina explained the significance.
In general, starting this year, the agency is going to allocate land plots not only at the request of the investor, but also taking into account the harmonious development of the Kazan agglomeration. According to the head of the agency, industrial parks are being built in pursuit of a huge array of housing, whose residents are forced to travel to Kazan to work. To eliminate these distortions, they are trying to zone territories near Kazan for industrial parks with the Institute of Spatial Development.
Another private investor also went after the marketplaces. Leader PLC is going to build hostels for employees of Ozon, Wildberry and distribution centers of federal retailers in Zelenodolsk district. Project manager Damir Abdrakhmanov said that he had asked for land for the construction of three five-storey buildings to accommodate employees of these companies. Moreover, the employers themselves will pay for their accommodation, not the employees. Investments are made at the rate of 200 rubles per day per person, and the land is leased for 49 years.
“Our company is engaged in personnel outsourcing. Here we are faced with the problem of a shortage of places to stay at affordable prices for employees. So the idea arose: why not build hostels?" project manager Damir Abdrakhmanov told reporters.
The hostels will be located on the territory of the Zelenodolsk industrial park in the Zelenodolsk district of Tatarstan. “Initially, we planned to build a hostel with 1,632 beds. But following the results of the investment council, we were recommended to divide and build three buildings with 500-700 seats in different locations," he said. According to him, it was decided to build three five-storey residential buildings, where the first floors will be given over to canteens, hairdressers and shops.
The main lease customers will be Ozon and Wildberries. There are preliminary agreements with them, said Damir Abdrakhmanov. The rent of 80% of the bed fund will be paid by employers, he forecasts. The cost is from 200 rubles a day. There are no similar precedents in the Volga region, he concluded.