Master Plan of a Small Town: Experience of Preproject Sociogeographical Research (on the Example of Bezhetsk, Tver Oblast)

A new type of urban planning documents—master plans, which include both socioeconomic and spatial aspects of urban development—is being discussed more and more frequently in Russia. This article is devoted to the experience of preproject sociogeographical research conducted during the development of a master plan for a Russian small town. The advantages of the geographical approach to urban research, consisting in its complex and multiscale nature, are revealed. The case of Bezhetsk (Tver oblast) shows how geographical concepts and ideas can be implemented in the activities of strategic spatial planning of a small town. Although Bezhetsk is a small town, it is a well-defined interdistrict center in the northeastern part of Tver oblast. In addition, one of the largest investment projects in the region in the field of livestock farming is being implemented in the city and its district. All this makes the development of a master plan for the town relevant and timely. The article proposes a preproject research scheme and identifies two analysis contours—external and internal. The external contour includes general issues of the functioning and development of the town: analysis of its role in the regional settlement system, features of the economic and geographical position, and analysis of the current socioeconomic situation. The internal contour relates to the peculiarities of the urban space structure. Using expert interviews and a population survey, the main urban problems and desired development prospects for the town were identified. Particular attention is paid to studying the ideas of school and college students about Bezhetsk. The article shows how a list of priority urban development projects is formed on the basis of a preproject study. In particular, in Bezhetsk this list includes projects for the development of social infrastructure, the hospitality sector, and the agro-industrial complex. The implementation of these projects will contribute to strengthening interdistrict functions and stabilizing the town’s economy.