It should be mentioned that during conversion of military towns a lot of serious problems were
appearing. These problems have as national as well international importance. So it is taken some
steps on international Cupertino and partnership activation18. The International project of UNDP,
IOL and EEC UN on military towns conversion has been implementing officially in Belarus
since November, 1994. The "National Program of Social and Economic Revival through
Demilitarisation" was developed by the Executive direction of this project. Also the big group of
experts was engaged into this Program elaboration.
From 1991 to 1998 according to intergovernmental agreement between Germany and the USSR
from October 9, 1990 the part of the special program on housing for military contingent brought
out of Germany was implemented. Within this program it was foreseen to locate towns and
residential complexes in the urban settlements for settling civil staff of military contingent
brought out of the of Central and Eastern Europe.
The territories for planned towns location were determined with participating of Institute for
Regional and Urban Planning of Belarus on the basement of master plans of cities that were
chosen for mentioned program implementation.
By present time the residential towns development was finished. Residential districts in Borisov,
Maryina Gorka, Baranovitchi, Bereza, Lida, Slonim and Ross19 were built. There were built
5,938 flats or 364,446 sq. m. of dwelling space, five schools, seven kindergartens for 2,110
children, seven multifunctional public centres, five policlinics and one hospital provided with
modern medical equipment, seven automated boiler-houses with reserve capacities, also
necessary installations for water-supply, sewerage, utility, energy-supply and communication.
At the completive stage an industrial complex that includes five plants of construction industry
was built in Chist Town (Minsk Oblast).
The development of towns was implemented on the base of tender projects with participation of
different Byelorussian and foreign building firms and with German financial support.
This program implementation allowed to provide military contingent with houses as well as to
decide social acuity related with housing for military contingent to a great extent. The majority
of military population of built towns, including members of their families, got a permanent job
although the problem of unemployment is saved.
It is worth mentioning that this program, known on the West as Program "7.8+0,5" and financed
by the Federal Governance of Germany, does not have any analogues in history and in practice
of construction in the former USSR and in Belarus if to consider its investment, quality and
terms of implementation, social and economic outcomes. The participation in this program was
like a school of European knowledge and practice for developers and builders. Designed and
built military towns differ in high quality of created living environment, architectural
individuality and technological innovation.
Typology of settlements for the military and their families
Examined military towns can be divided into several groups by the following typological
features:
- character of location in urban settlement network;
- function.