The SENSUM, BBA un AE consortium has completed the first stage of the design for the development of the Kundziņsala border crossing infrastructure.According to Jeļena Gavrilova, board member of SJSC ‘State Real Estate’, the purpose of this project is to build new and modern infrastructure for the agencies involved in border control, including State Revenue Service (SRS), the State Border Guard Service (SBGS), and the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD), in order to improve the effectiveness of border control and contributing to the development of the Trans-European Transport Network (TEN-T).
‘The first stage of the Kundziņsala border crossing infrastructure design has now been successfully completed, bringing us one step closer to achieving modern and efficient border control. The project focuses on environmentally and people-friendly solutions that use energy-saving methods. We seek to use this infrastructure to reduce the negative effects of transportation through the port of Riga, to improve air quality and to expand the European transport network, fostering a business-friendly environment,’ Jeļena Gavrilova said.
The first stage of the design involved surveying work, the preparation of a conceptual construction model and of the minimum-scope construction design, as well as the receipt of a building permit that set design conditions and conditions for beginning construction. The preparation of the rest of construction plan documentation is expected to end in Q3 of this year.
The infrastructure of the Kundziņsala border crossing is to be built to the highest standards, delivering all-encompassing benefits to the economy and the public. The design and construction activities of this project aim at finding, developing, and using solutions that are environmentally and people-friendly, and economically viable. Combining energy-saving techniques, including decreased primary non-renewable power consumption, in synergy with other modern infrastructure development measures, the main building intended for the functions of the border control agencies is to be a near-zero energy building.
In accordance with the package contract signed on 16 October 2023, the design and construction work, as well as the delivery and installation of the equipment necessary for the border control functions, is done by the SENSUM, BBA un AE consortium, with an estimated contract duration of 35 months, of which 12 months are reserved for design activities. The conclusion of the package contract enables the achievement of Reference Items 181 and 184 of the Latvia 2023 Recovery and Resilience Mechanism Plan.
The main activities of the project include the construction of parking areas for cargo vehicles and cars, the construction of a set of buildings, including the main office building, the cargo control X-ray machine building, the border control pavilions, and a utility building, using an undeveloped port area in Kundziņsala for the implementation of the project.
The new infrastructure is planned take up 5.9 ha by the end of 2026. The funds necessary for the implementation of the project have been raised through the grant financing as part of the Latvia Recovery and Resilience Mechanism Plan and the national budget. Total funding raised so far is 39,134,316 euros.
SRE makes successful progress in the implementation of 35 national projects, 14 of which are currently in construction. The total implementation budget of these projects exceeds EUR 336 million. SRE provides professional real estate management and administration for 371 building and structure properties, comprising 1007 buildings with a total area of 0.97 million square metres, as well as land beneath structures with a total area of 607 hectares, and 3404 land properties with a total area of 883 hectares. SRE is one of 17 Latvian companies that in 2023 received the highest platinum award as part of the Sustainability Index of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability, confirming the good governance and sustainability of its operations. The company was founded in 1996 and the Ministry of Finance is its sole shareholder.
For more information about the project, see HERE.
