Mysterious Construction Site in Gorelnik Near Almaty: What’s Being Built There, and Is It Legal?

Orda.kz recently reported on a mysterious library construction project in central Almaty — one shrouded in secrecy and limited access to information. However, such construction projects are far from unique, and one of them is now underway in Gorelnik, a specially protected natural area.

Both boards list SADU Development LLP as the client and UE Power Engineering (Qazaqstan) LLP as the contractor.

However, according to the environmental organization Green Salvation, a third facility — a sports complex — is also being built on the same site.

One of the boards specifies that the work constitutes construction “without major construction.” What exactly that means remains unclear. It could imply temporary structures such as tents, yurts, pavilions, or lightweight wooden cabins without foundations.

Yet, drone footage and visual evidence suggest otherwise. Even the images on the construction information boards speak for themselves. These are multi-story buildings made of concrete or other permanent materials. To what extent such projects align with the concept of ecotourism and comply with construction laws in specially protected natural areas remains an open question.

A separate electrical substation has also been installed on the premises.

To clarify the situation, Orda.kz sent an official inquiry to the Almaty Akimat.

1. According to our information, in the foothills of Almaty, near a location known as Gorelnik, construction is underway on three adjacent facilities within a fenced area. Can you confirm this information?
2. Do the site (or sites) where construction is taking place fall within the territory of the Ile-Alatau National Park, the Medeu Park, or their protected buffer zones?
3. We also request that you provide the following information:

• Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for these facilities
• Architectural and planning specifications for the three sites
• Feasibility studies for the three sites
• Design documentation for the construction of the three sites
• Conclusions of the state environmental impact assessment for the three sites
• Conclusions of the comprehensive external (independent) review of the construction projects (feasibility studies and design estimates) for the three sites
• Copies of the minutes of public hearings for the three sites
• A link to the online resource indicating where all environmental information for all three sites is published

However, the Akimat’s response merely stated that construction is underway on three sites, provided their mailing addresses, and noted that the preliminary designs had been approved. It did not specify which protected zone the construction sites belong to. The Akimat also failed to provide any documents regarding the construction.

 

Some related documents were later found online at ecoportal.kz, which state:

According to the project, the site covers an area of 1.0964 hectares, beginning above Kerey-Zhanibek Khandar Street. The area is located in a mountainous region. The plan provides for the construction of a hotel complex and five guest houses, along with landscaping, green areas, street parking, and utility infrastructure. The main building has a complex shape, measuring 47.06 x 51.47 meters. It is a three-story structure with a basement floor. The first floor is 4.5 meters high, and the second and third floors are 3.2 meters each. Five separate guest houses (apartments) are located nearby. The site includes 3.5-meter-wide access roads for vehicle traffic, with street parking spaces near each building.

 

At the same time, the ecoportal.kz website reports that Sadu Development invited residents to participate in public hearings on the project. The announcement was published on the back page of the 45th issue of MK v Kazakhstane newspaper for 2024.

However, it does not specify when, where, or how the public hearings will be held. No direct link to information about the project is provided.

There are no reports of public comments, feedback, or responses from the developers. Only a single document outlining the procedure for the hearings is publicly available.

 

From this, one might reasonably conclude that no genuine public hearings took place, and that the developers sought to avoid public scrutiny. We could still be mistaken.

Sergey Kuratov, head of the environmental organization Green Salvation, said that his group had also submitted official inquiries to government agencies regarding the construction in Gorelnik but received no clear or substantive responses.

According to Kuratov, this case reflects a broader pattern seen in recent years — where government agencies provide incomplete and unreliable environmental information.

Inquiries from the public and journalists are receiving the same type of response, the essence of which can be summed up by a line from a Vysotsky song: ‘I hear: don’t cry — everything is fine in the taiga.’ But any reasonable person will only have more questions. So where exactly is this construction taking place? In Ile-Alatau National Park, or in Medeu Regional Park, or on lands that were supposed to become part of these protected areas? Or perhaps in a water protection zone, or the Malaya Almatinka area?

 

Officials insist that the construction is legal. However, Kuratov argues that the provisions of Kazakhstan’s Law “On Architectural, Urban Planning, and Construction Activities”, which govern specially protected natural areas, water protection zones, and state nature reserve sites, are not being applied in Gorelnik. Moreover, no environmental impact assessment (EIA) has been conducted.

He pointed out that the requirement for a mandatory EIA “for any type of economic or other activity” was removed from the 2021 Environmental Code — a move he believes was intentional.

After all, it is precisely for the sake of maximizing profit that we’ve seen a systematic, businesslike purge of environmental legislation over the past two decades. The significant impact of this construction on the natural environment of the Small Almaty Gorge has been completely ignored. The natural landscape has been destroyed forever — a huge pit has been dug, dust clouds hang in the air, and the once-picturesque view of the gorge is gone for good, Kuratov said.

 

He added that over-tourism leads to degradation of natural areas, declining service quality, pollution, and worsening living conditions for local residents — all of which undermine the sustainable development of tourism.

Developed countries have already recognized this problem and are seeking solutions. But here in Kazakhstan, the situation is even worse. So it’s no surprise that the environmental situation in the Almaty region — as across the country — continues to deteriorate, the expert concluded.

Original Author: Danil Utyupin