Underground parking for Tammelantori remains a distant prospect in Tampere's plan

Proposed underground parking beneath Tammelantori remains a long-term project for Tampere, appearing only as a prioritized subproject in the city's 2023–2040 central development programme with a target window of 2023–2030, Tamperelainen reports. It remains a distant prospect.

Tammela has become Tampere's model area for infill development, where new housing often replaces surface parking. About 15 years ago opponents collected roughly 1,000 signatures on a petition against dense building and the market square garage, while supporters backed denser development. City development manager Minna Seppänen says the municipality has spent years working with housing companies to promote infill projects. Underground parking, she says, can free yard space for new apartments and help fund major renovations. She warns the market square garage would be large and costly, and says any reopening of the square should be paired with a broader redesign to create a more attractive and functional public space. Seppänen expects Tammela to be noticeably denser in 10–15 years and an even more active part of the city centre.

The project sits within the city's longer-term plan to move long-term downtown parking into garages and reform on-street parking policy outlined in the 2040 parking strategy. This summer the city trialled converting parking bays into pop-up seating as part of a broader push to reassign curb space the July pilot provided.