Current Approaches to Living Environment Formation: Possibilities for Key Settlements’ Development in Regional Space

The search for new approaches to spatial development of territories is connected with the need for economic development while achieving a high quality of life for the population. The Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation (hereinafter SDS-2030) defines a network of key settlements as the key instruments for its implementation, which ensures the sustainability of the settlement system, increased economic connectivity, and improved quality of life throughout the country. At the same time, the Spatial Development Strategy defines the most important principles of territorial development: a differentiated approach to the development of settlements (sustainable development of strong regions and assistance to regions in need of additional support); an integrated approach to infrastructure development; and transition to an effective settlement model based on a system of settlements. It seems that building a system of key settlements as a settlement framework for a region is advisable to achieve better living conditions for the population. And this, in turn, is associated with the ongoing policy of integrated territorial development, which is becoming increasingly systemic. Particular emphasis is placed on the expediency of the search for new effective mechanisms and instruments for the implementation of the National Project “Infrastructure for Life.” The objects of the study were cities of different sizes (largest, large, big, medium, and small), included in the composition of the key settlements. The purpose of the study is to determine what the system of key settlements in the region is and to identify the possibilities for the development of cities of different sizes in new conditions. The following methods were used: review of scientific sources and statistical information; analysis of the cities of the region included in the unified list of basic settlements of the Russian Federation.