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Northwest Frankfurt – A new urban quarter

Topic:
Preparatory studies
District: Local district:
7, 8
Size of area:
area being investigated 550 ha, land that can be developed max. 190 ha
Project management:

Mr. Antonius Schulze Mönking
fone: +49 (0)69 212 36107

Ms. Sabine Guttmann
fone: +49 (0)69 212 34351


Project description

 

What it is all about – the process in brief

Frankfurt urgently needs additional living space: new districts for people with new jobs, vibrant plazas and calm areas of greenery for recreation and relaxation.

In December 2017, the Frankfurt City Council therefore resolved to examine whether suitable conditions exist in northwest Frankfurt for an urban development measure. Specifically, this meant highlighting, among others, legal, urban planning and ecological aspects. These preparatory studies are currently being conducted.

The first plans revealing what the new quarters could look like were developed in the course of 2020.

As a result of this process, the study “Circular Quarters” by the firms cityförster architecture + urbanism and urbanegestalt was recommended for further elaboration.

It is assumed that the report on the preparatory studies will be submitted to the City Council in 2024. Along with the report, the City Executive’s proposal for development statutes and for demarcation of the development zone will be tabled for approval.




More information

At a glance

Northwest Frankfurt  - a new urban quarter, © City of Frankfurt Planning Dept.


Update from the City of Frankfurt Planning Dept. – March 2023

 


 


Additional videos


For further information please consult the special editions of the magazine “IM DIALOG - Neuer Stadtteil der Quartiere”. Special issue 1, Special issue 2 and  Special issue 3 tell you all about the process and the actors involved. And along with background insights it reports on the studies and events. For more information on the status of the preparatory investigation please consult the leaflet published in April 2023.


New residential districts in Frankfurt

The current situation
Frankfurt is growing continually. The housing market is permanently defined by shortages and forecasts predict that by 2030 another 90,000 apartments will be needed – the figure includes the current shortfall. Although people are looking for dwellings in all price classes, there is a particular need for more affordable homes. Many people are already unable to afford an apartment in Frankfurt – and the shortage is driving rents up higher still.

In order to address this shortage, the city has resolved to transform conversion zones, such as areas formerly used by the military or by the railways, into residential districts.
Simultaneously, within the city densification measures have been and indeed are still being conducted: Gaps in lines of buildings are being filled with newbuilds and additional stories added to existing buildings. There are, however, limits to this internal development, especially as the area Frankfurt covers is limited and important areas of greenery such as Frankfurt’s Green Belt must remain intact. This means that the potential which conversion and densification measures offer is not sufficient to provide enough living space for all the people that need it. Major new urban developments such as Riedberg and the Europaviertel are fast nearing completion.

The idea
Several new urban quarters could be developed in the northwest of Frankfurt adjoining Nordweststadt and Praunheim, as well as to the west of the A5 interstate. This would allow the City of Frankfurt to meet the rising need for affordable homes in the medium to long term. Subsequent generations would thus also have the chance to live in Frankfurt.


The resolution on the preparatory studies
In December 2017 the Frankfurt City Council resolved to examine whether in the area “Northwest Frankfurt” suitable conditions exist for an urban development measure (sections 165 ff. German Building Code). The preparatory studies are set to assess the feasibility and economic viability of the project. This will take some time, but ultimately, at the end of a long process, the complex studies will provide the political decision makers with the information they need to decide whether there should be an urban development measure, and if so, what scope it should take.

Planning new living space
Should the studies come to the conclusion that all the conditions are met, then on the basis of current planning up to 6,800 apartments for up to 17,000 residents could be built in the area in question and space created for up to 5,300 jobs. With a view to ensuring a diverse range of housing, groups of developers and cooperatives would then also be taken into consideration. Parks, plazas, schools, daycare centers, stores, sports and leisure facilities would create attractive quarters. The main aim is to create a new home for people of different ages and in different situations – including those on average and low incomes. New jobs would also be created in the quarters. In line with the resolution passed by the City Council, the extent to which housing can also be integrated in the planned “North of Heerstrasse” commercial estate needs to be assessed.



The location

Why in the northwest?

Marked red: The area investigated in northwest Frankfurt, © City of Frankfurt Planning Dept.

In Frankfurt’s northwest there is a large area of open land that could with relatively little effort be connected to the existing public transport network. This would mean that the new quarters would boast mobility services that are as environmentally friendly as they are effective.


 


The area under study

Aerial image 2016 with the boundaries of the area of the preparatory studies, © Urban Planning Office of the City of Frankfurt am Main , aerial image: Stadtvermessungsamt Stadt Frankfurt am Main

The area under study is located in the extreme northwest limits of Frankfurt and thus not only shares boundaries with other Frankfurt districts, but is also in the immediate vicinity of Oberursel, Steinbach, and Eschborn. Some streets and houses located in Niederursel, Nordweststadt, and Praunheim come within the ambit of the area studied. The Praunheim commercial estate lies completely within the limits of the area studied.

This area, which was then examined with a view to its suitability for development covers a total of 550 hectares. If construction does go ahead the development area would take up 190 hectares at most – including roads, parks, schools and childcare facilities.
This area, which is being examined to establish whether it is suitable for development, totals 550 hectares in size. If construction goes ahead, the so-called gross land zoned for construction, which includes building plots, schools, childcare centers, and other social facilities as well as greened areas around housing, will occupy some 90 hectares. In other words, the space required for the urban quarters is far smaller than the area under study.

The A5 interstate is the defining element of the area under study and divides it into a western and an eastern section. To the north, an important west/east link in the form of Rosa Luxemburg Strasse abuts the area.



Challenges

The Frankfurt Nordwest zone poses many challenges, all of which need to be considered in the development of the concept for a new residential quarter. We outline the key challenges below.

The City of Frankfurt has had expert opinions compiled on all the issues, had studies carried out, and has assessed overall feasibility. A short summary of the findings of these reports can be consulted via the downloads.

The ambient climate and cold air
At the moment, a large part of the area under study is a cold-air production area. What is the current situation, and what would development mean for the generation of cold air? How would it be transported, and what would change in terms of the ventilation of neighboring districts? And, first and foremost: What design or technical means could be used to counter this?

Nature and water
The meadows along the Urselbach and Steinbach streams are not only valuable in ecological terms and important for local recreation, but also fulfill important flood protection functions. A key aspect involves shaping the streams’ valleys such that they serve both as a flood retention area as well as a recreational space for the new urban quarters and the neighboring districts. Moreover, the strictly protected animal and plant species whose habitats are here must also be factored into the planning.

Power lines
There are several overhead power lines in the area under study. These are stretches along which run one or several high-voltage lines. Since these are important for trans-regional power supplies, they essentially have to be kept. What scope is there to move or reorganize these lines?

Mobility
Up to 17,000 residents and also many new jobs all translate into an increase in the volume of traffic. This must be structured such that it is not an additional burden on adjoining districts. In order for people to be able to get from A to B easily and quickly, local public transport must be prioritized from the outset. In comparison with other undeveloped land, the area under study stands out for the fact that it adjoins existing subway and LRT lines, which can easily be extended. In addition, new neighborhoods would need to have an extensive network of pedestrian and cycle paths linked to the surrounding municipalities.

The interstate and noise
The A5 interstate runs through the middle of the area under study. Noise plans need to be developed on how to handle the emissions from the interstate. The fact that the A5 has a dividing effect represents a further challenge.


 


The preparatory studies

One special way cities and towns can realize large development projects is an instrument known as the “urban development measure” in accordance with sections 165 ff of the German Building Code. Before a development area is defined by a development by-law, the local authority must conduct preparatory studies in order to prove that all the criteria are met, and a development measure is justified (section 165 (4) German Building Code).

The result of the preparatory studies provides the specialist information needed to determine the feasibility of the new quarters. The result of the preparatory studies only becomes binding when a City Council passes a resolution on the urban development measure and issues a development statute. Until such a time, the results of the process remain open.

The City Planning Dept. has been tasked with conducting the preparatory studies for the area in question. This means that in the course of a long process it will examine whether the urban planning proposal is possible here and whether all the legal requirements and technical criteria that justify an “urban development measure” are met. To this end, they obtain the requisite expert opinions. A summary of the findings of the expert opinions can be found in the downloads

The preparatory studies are intended to answer various questions: Which areas are suitable for development and which not? How willing are the owners of plots in the area being investigated to become involved in the development of the new quarters? What costs will the city have to shoulder for the development project? And what might new residential areas and spaces look like and how they could function?

Competition
The questions were answered in the framework of a “multiple commissioning”. Seven planning teams were each commissioned to develop urban development ideas of their own that ideally take all the parameters into consideration. The studies reveal which different approaches and solutions there are, and their impact. The findings were submitted for final review by a jury of experts on Nov. 11, 2020. The jury recommended the contribution “Circular Quarters” by planning team cityförster architecture + urbanism (Hanover) with Urbane Gestalt (Cologne) for further elaboration as part of the preparatory studies.

“Circular Quarters” concept
Under the label of “Circular Quarters”, the concept designs four new neighborhoods: the “New Weststadt”, “Productive Praunheim”, “Lachgraben Quarter”, and “East Steinbach”. The four districts are linked to one another by a dense network of footpaths and cycle tracks; the interstate is crossed by a landscaped bridge and two underpasses. Moreover, the neighborhoods will be connected to public transport by two rail lines, the West Regional Tangent and the extended U7 subway.
The districts are rounded out by a fifth element, the “Co-productive Countryside”. To this end, the open land in the northwest of the area will be kept free of buildings. Instead, newly structured countryside will arise as a space to try out all manner of ways of jointly working the land and exploring the coexistence of urban districts and countryside, ecology, production, and recreation.

The proposal is based on a variety of ideas on the residential districts of tomorrow. Water management, for example, is expected to play a key role in the sense of a “sponge city”. Central hubs in each district will also serve as thermal power plants, mobility hubs, and neighborhood meeting points. Spacious parkland along the valleys and streams will, in combination with the greenery inside the neighborhoods, ensure good ventilation and all manner of outdoor green recreational spaces.
Click here for the explanatory report and the studies on the city and the countryside.

On the basis of the “Circular Quarters” concept, the expert reports underpinning the planning have in part been updated, and additional expert opinions commissioned. For a short summary of the findings of the reports please click the downloads

framework plan, © cityförster architecture + urbanism (Hannover) with Urbane Gestalt (Cologne)

Concept for a masterplan
In a next step, the urban planning concept devised by cityförster architecture + urbanism together with urbanegestalt in 2020 was transformed into a concept for a masterplan.

Involving the various authorities

At the end of 2021, the City of Frankfurt City Planning Dept. reached out to the various other authorities and public-interest agencies to involve them in the process. These included specialist departments and other organizations that will assess the project in terms of how it adheres to the respective public interests and comment on this, covering topics, for example, such as groundwater protection, transportation, or agriculture. In 2022, their remarks were factored into the masterplan and the “Interim Report on the Preparatory Studies”.

East Variant

The East Variant departs from the original idea in that it hinges on only three new districts. All three are located east of the interstate. After evaluation of the statements received in response to the “Interim Report on the Preparatory Studies”, the East Steinbach Quarter was eliminated from the concept as part of the public-interest involvement. The idea of “Co-Productive Countryside” to the west of the interstate remains part of the concept but has been supplemented to feature areas for species and environmental protection. Moreover, sports facilities as well as additional school sites have now been included in order to ensure adequate support for the district. This variant is currently being discussed with the South Hessen Regional Assembly as part of an approvals procedure for changes in the objectives of regional planning.

Interim Report

In November 2022, an interim report on the preparatory studies’ findings to date was submitted along with the smaller East Variant to the City Executive, with the intention being on that basis to initiate the approvals procedure at the Regional Council for changes to the set planning objectives. Only once this procedure has taken place can the preparatory studies be concluded in their entirety. The interim report was forwarded along with City Executive motion M 181 to the City Council for a decision to be taken.

Regional participation

The East Variant is currently being discussed with the region and the South Hessen Regional Assembly in the context of the approvals procedure to change the set planning objectives. The application for approval was filed on March 14, 2023, and covers areas of 130 hectares in total. These include not only the planned building land, but also parkland and sports and ecological zones that need enhancing. Moreover, there are changes to the wording of the objectives set in RPS/RegFNP 2010. Only once the Regional Assembly has decided whether to approve the changes or not is the City of Frankfurt authorized to conclude the preparatory studies. Not until that point can the City Council pass the statutory development law for the new District of Quarters.

Final Report

The City Planning Dept. will make the results of the preparatory studies available to the City Council in the form of a Final Report after conclusion of the approvals procedure for the changes to the planning objectives.

Next steps

The planned steps to be taken next are outlined in the infografic .


The Consilium

An advisory panel known as the Consilium is providing specialist support for the preparatory studies for the new quarters. It addresses questions relating to urban development, architecture, and open space planning and makes suggestions with regard to the participation procedure, the design stage, and indeed the entire process.

The Consilium is made up of eight experts from Germany, Austria and Switzerland who offer advice on the basis of their experience. They represent a wide range of disciplines that are of importance in the development of new quarters: urban and regional planning, ecology and landscape planning, organizational and process optimization, business and social sciences.

The eight appointed members of the Consilium are:
Uli Hellweg (Chair of the Consilium, urban planner, planning and consulting firm HELLWEG URBAN CONCEPT, former managing director of IBA Hamburg, former Head of the City of Kassel Planning Department),
Burkhard Horn (transport planner, consultant at the interface between transport policyand transport planning, former head of Transport in the Berlin Senate),
Hilmar von Lojewski (urban and regional planner, Association of German Cities Councilor for Urban Development, Housing, Construction, and Transport; former Head of Urban Development and Construction Management in the Berlin Senate),
Thomas Madreiter (urban and regional planner, City of Vienna Director of Planning),
Gabriele Nießen (Spatial planner, planner at AS&P, City Planning Councillor of the City of Oldenburg, Mayor of the City of Ludwigsburg, State Councillor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen in the Department for Climate, Environment, Mobility and Urban Development)
Prof. Antje Stokman (landscape architect, Professor of “Architecture and Landscape” at HafenCity University, Hamburg)
Prof. Silke Weidner (Chair of the Consilium, urban and regional planner, Professor of Urban Management at Brandenburg Technical University (BTU) in Cottbus)
Oliver Weigel (urban and economic geographer, head of the “Fundammental Issues in Urban Development” department in the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.


The Consilium was established by a resolution adopted by the Frankfurt City Council in 2017. The advice proffered by the Consilium will also be discussed with representatives of the neighboring municipalities and the local consultative councils 7 and 8. At least two meetings a year are envisaged.

Click here for the Consilium’s Interim Report to the Planning, Building, and Housing Construction Committee as well as a contribution by Uli Hellweg in his capacity as Consilium Chair.



Public participation

We want to hear your opinion!
During the entire process we will engage in dialog with citizens, organizations, and initiatives, in which all participants are equals. They will be involved, and their experiences, opinions, and ideas will be listened to. And your local and specialist knowledge is also of interest!

Lots of different ways of finding out about things and participating are an invitation to you to get involved – using both analog and digital means. And we are nothing if not transparent at all times: We continually keep you up to date with the state of things and explain complicated matters such that anyone can understand them.

You can participate during the entire process. A decision by the city councilors in favor of developing the area being investigated will provide lots of opportunities for you to become actively involved in the process over the coming years.


  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Information event on November 28, 2019: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department
  • Citizens’ Dialog I: Impressions & copy; City of Frankfurt Planning Department

Initial civic-participation formats

Citizens’ Dialog III online in November as well as live on November 7th, 2020
At the Citizens’ Dialog III, the planning studios presented the final results of their design process. Here, again, public feedback was encouraged via the Frankfurt Fragt Mich (www.ffm.de/nordwest) online platform and at the live digital Citizens’ Dialog session on Nov. 7, 2020. The feedback was passed on to the jury.

Citizens’ Dialog II from May 13 – June 3, 2020, and from August 3 – 23, 2020

At the Citizen’s Dialog II, participants were able to view the concept studies developed by the planning offices for the first time. They were able to review how the planning teams had addressed the suggestions made and comment on them. These findings were also passed on to the planning offices, which then once again revised their proposals. The Citizens’ Dialog II took place primarily online owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, two rounds of dialog were held via the Frankfurt Fragt Mich (www.ffm.de/nordwest) online platform, accompanied by an exhibition in the lobby of the Dept. of Planning.

Citizens’ Dialog I on February 15, 2020

In workshops at the Citizens’ Dialog I, the participants developed visions and goals for concept studies. These suggestions were passed on to the planning teams along with the tender documents.

Information event on November 28, 2019

A wealth of facts will be tabled on November 28, 2019: At an information event, the process team will present the procedure and provide background information about relevant issues. The team will also register initial suggestions with regard to the process and the urban development concepts. The event was an introduction to the topic, a source of background information, and creates a basis for coming events. There is a detailed account of the event on this page to be found as an overview under Downloads.


 


The process – the most important dates at a glance

Latest:
“East Variant” concept filed for approval as part of a procedure to assess changes in set planning objectives

February 2, 2023
The Frankfurt City Council approves Motion M 181
•    It takes note of the Interim Report
•    In instructs the City Executive to continue the preparatory studies on the basis of the planning variant that excludes the East Steinbach Quarter.
It instructs the City Executive to file for approval of a change in the set planning objectives of the South Hessen Regional Plan / Regional Land Development Plan 2010 from the Regional Council Darmstadt (resolution 2795 / 2023)

November 4, 2022
Submission of City Executive motion M 181 on the Interim Report on the Preparatory Studies and to initiate the approval procedure for changes to set planning objectives

November 22 – December 22, 2021
Involvement of the authorities and other public-interest agencies

November 13, 2020
Press conference: Recommendation of the “Circular Quarters” study for further elaboration

November 11, 2020
Jury meeting (not public)

November 7, 2020
Citizens Dialog III: Presentation of the proposals as completed, feedback for the jury

May 13 – June 3, 2020, & August 3 – 23, 2020
Citizens Dialog II: Interim presentation of the first proposals and feedback from citizens,
structured, owing to the pandemic, as a two-stage online participation session accompanied by an exhibition in the foyer of the City Planning Dept.

February 15, 2020

Citizens Dialog I: Input for the call for “Studies on the City and Countryside”

November 28, 2019

Public information event at the City of Frankfurt Planning Dept.

November 7, 2019 – January 22, 2020

Pan-European selection procedure for preparing “Studies on the City and Countryside”

December 14, 2017

The Frankfurt City Council resolves to commission preparatory studies (resolution 2080 / 2017)


 


Questions and answers

  • Data and facts

  • Will the entire 550 hectares be developed?

    No, the area measuring approx. 550 hectares is the land being investigated. Around 190 hectares of it will be developed and will include roads, parks, schools and childcare centers. The studies on the city and the countryside develop concepts that make more precise statements on the distribution and structure of the areas involved.

  • Urban development

  • What is an urban development measure (UDM)?

    An urban development measure is an urban development tool (sections 165 ff. of the German Building Code (BauGB)) regulated by the German Building Code. With it the city can develop urban planning projects such as new quarters swiftly. A prerequisite for an urban development measure is proof that the urban development objective cannot be achieved with other urban development tools. Another significant difference from the classic development of land for construction is the obligation on the part of the municipality to acquire the plots of land in the development area at their initial asset value prior to being earmarked for development. Furthermore, the municipality is obliged to subsequently sell the plots of land subject to a construction obligation. The development facilities and the social infrastructure (schools, childcare centers, etc.) are financed from the difference between the purchase price of the undeveloped plots of land and the selling price of the building plots. If in the framework of an urban development project surpluses are made then the monies are reimbursed to the original owners of the land.

  • Why are the preparatory studies for Frankfurt Nordwest continuing although the valid Regional Plan for South Hessen / Regional Land Use Plan primarily do not allow for urban development there?

    Preparatory studies on an urban development measure can in principle also be conducted for areas where the South Hessen Regional Master Plan / Regional Land Use Plan (RPS/RegFNP) do not identify building areas. Before a legal status can be created covering building plans, the RPS/RegFNP first has to be changed and/or adapted.
    Without this, the supra-ordinated guidelines innate in the State, Regional and Land Use plans must invariably be reflected in the binding urban development planning. At present, any urban development planning would not yet be in line with the goals of regional and state development planning; moreover, the statements given in the valid Regional Land Use Plan 2010 run counter to urban development in the area of Frankfurt Nordwest. The City of Frankfurt would thus not be able as of today to issue zoning plans for large parts of the area in question, on the basis of which housing could be legally built.
    The objectives as regards an updated planning concept for a new RPS/RegFNP outlined by the South Hessen Regional Assembly on Dec. 13, 2019 constitute a significant obstacle for any urban development in the Frankfurt Nordwest area. The South Hessen Regional Assembly has, however, emphasized, that applications for deviations from the objectives for specific sites can be filed on a smaller scale until such a point in time when a draft of the new RPS/RegFNP has been tabled, for example for land sections east of the A 5 interstate.
    The South Hessen Regional Assembly and the Chamber of the FrankfurtRhineMain Regional Association would have to reach a decision on deviations from the regional planning goals and changes to the statements in the respectively valid RPS/RegFNP for sub-sites if the City of Frankfurt filed corresponding applications in the course of urban land use planning. If and when this will be is the case depends on the findings of the preparatory studies and any resolution on the same passed by the City Council.
    In light of all the development potential in South Hessen and the Frankfurt/Rhine-Main conurbation, the South Hessen Regional Assembly and the Chamber of the FrankfurtRhineMain Regional Association will in coming years have to decide on a draft for a new edition of the RPS/RegFNP – and in this context also provide answers to the irrefutable requirements for future urban development in the region’s main center, i.e. Frankfurt. In this context, the possible urban development in the area being studied, namely Frankfurt Nordwest, will need to be evaluated.
    What applies in both cases is that the experts will need to be consulted and the relevant documentation compiled. This will necessarily also cover the urban development concept, without which there no assessment can be made of the feasibility of developing either the entire area studied or sections of it.

  • Living

  • Who will live in the new quarters?

    The aim of the urban planning is to create new homes for people of different ages and in different living situations by providing affordable housing.

  • How high will the proportion of subsidized housing be?

    The ratio of subsidized housing must be at least 30 percent. Groups of developers and cooperatives will also be considered so that a wide range of different residential formats will evolve. The Resolution on Building Land, which is explained here, includes more detailed specifications.

  • How can a vibrant urban quarter arise?

    The City of Frankfurt will make certain that all the requirements of modern and vibrant urban quarters will be met:
    •    A range of diverse forms of living in different types of housing
    •    Private open spaces which by virtue of being protected areas on the inside of blocks enable, for example, meetings with immediate neighbors
    •    Stores within walking distance
    •    Provision of doctors, bars, restaurants, and other service providers
    •    Wide range of mobility with a focus on public transport, pedestrians, and cyclists
    •    A broad range of childcare places from crèche to nursery, elementary schools and a secondary school
    •    A wide range of sports and leisure time facilities which encourage diverse club activities
    •    Religious facilities
    •    Well designed, clearly defined public spaces that enable residents to meet on lively plazas but also withdraw to quiet areas of greenery
    •    Jobs in the mixed usage and commercial areas.

  • When will the first houses be built?

    The outcome of the preparatory studies is open and therefore the City Council will not make a decision until the final report on the preparatory studies is submitted at the end of 2021.

  • Environment and climate

  • In what way will the issue of the climate be taken into consideration?

    At the moment the land being investigated is to a large extent a location where cold air arises.
    The preparatory studies included a climatic study of the land in question and the surrounding area. This involved an analysis of the current situation, and the impact of construction work on the generation and transport of cold air and on air circulation. Click herefor the details.
    Possible optimization measures include keeping cold air corridors (valleys and brooks) well clear of obstruction, flow-optimized positioning of buildings, and roof and facade greening.

  • What will happen to the drinking water wells on Heerstrasse?

    The Praunheim II water works’ drinking water wells will remain in operation in the future, too. The idea of shutting down the water works, which was mooted a few years ago, has been abandoned. You will find more detailed information about the situation with regard to water supply in this flyer published by Arbeitsgemeinschaft Wasserversorgung Rhein-Main
    Situation Analysis with Regard to Water Supply in the Rhine-Main Region
    and in the detailed report:

    <a title="Wechsel zur Seite www.hessenwasser.de" class="jumpbtn_int" href="https://www.hessenwasser.de/fileadmin/user_upload/WRM-Situationsanalyse_2016_Bericht.pdf">Updated Situation Analysis with Regard to Water Supply in the Rhine-Main Region - July 2016</a>

  • What approach will be taken to the power lines?

    There are several power lines of regional and national importance running through the area in question. As a matter of principle, the functionality of these must be preserved. The preparatory studies will determine what opportunities there are to relocate the lines both horizontally and vertically (underground cabling) or to reorganize them. How to deal with the required distances of 200 meters or 400 meters from residential buildings will also be clarified in the course of further proceedings.

  • Agriculture

  • What will happen to agriculture?

    The owners as well as tenants of land used for agricultural purposes will be affected by new building land and the land that will then be offered in compensation.

    The preparatory studies will explore the extent to which such persons will be affected, and together with the farmers possible solutions will be elaborated on how to take the possible consequences into consideration in an appropriate manner.

    Moreover, the studies on the city and the countryside outlined whether and in what form new concepts are possible for interlocking agriculture and the development of the quarters. The proposal recommended for implementation envisages spacious areas in the northwest of the area studied where new forms of small-scale agricultural production will be possible for local consumption.

  • What measures will be taken as compensation?

    Construction work involves interventions in nature and the countryside. Legislation states quite clearly the extent to which these interventions can be avoided or minimized must be examined. In other words, compensation measures such as areas of greenery or the planting of woods must be envisaged. Replacement biotopes must be of the same standard.  Should this not be possible, compensation land in a natural setting must be found elsewhere. Ecological aspects will be taken into consideration in the construction project from the outset. What form construction takes will not be discussed just from a construction technology or cost point of view, but always taking environmental compatibility into consideration.

  • Mobility

  • Wow can the new quarters be accessed?

    When the new quarters are developed then the plan is to connect them into the local road network within the boundaries of the City of Frankfurt. The idea is to avoid placing the burden of additional motor traffic on neighboring communities.
    Essentially, it must be ascertained what capacity the existing road network has in order to rule out congestion as far as possible even at this stage. Particular attention must be paid to a good and efficient public transport system with sensible connections to the one already in place so as to keep motorized private transport as low as possible. An extensive network of cycle paths is expected also to help avoid journeys by car.

  • What will happen to the Praunheim by-pass?

    The Praunheim bypass is listed as a measure in the City of Frankfurt Transportation Master Plan 2005 (GVP). Until such a time as the City Council passes a resolution to the contrary, this GVP specification remains in place. As part of the studies on the city and the countryside, statements were made on how to best integrate the Praunheim bypass.

  • What will the response be to the fragmentation caused by the A5 interstate?

    The studies on the city and the countryside had to come up with possible solutions to this central issue. Design-wise the dividing effect of the interstate needed to be handled carefully. The study selected offers a proposal in this regard – namely erecting a landscaped bridge over the interstate.

  • How will the noise from the A5 interstate be dealt with?

    Because of the high volume of traffic, which given the planned increase in the number of lanes is set to rise, the A5 interstate causes considerable noise.
    As part of the preparatory studies an expert opinion on noise was complied, which on the basis of the volume of traffic forecast identified the areas affected and examine possible noise protection measures. Click here to read the expert opinion.

  • Information and involvement

  • How can landowners and those affected participate?

    As part of the preparatory studies the city will approach the landowners and tenants in the area in question with a view to determining the extent to which they are willing to get involved in the proceedings. As a rule, if the plot of land is in the developed area of Niederursel, Praunheim or Nordweststadt, no further development of it should be expected. In these districts, owners will not be addressed in person but can air their views and bring these to bear in the overall process in the citizens dialog sessions.
    For further information please click here.

  • If you have any further questions, we will be happy to help you. Simply contact one of the persons listed below.

Mr. Antonius Schulze Mönking

Telephone: +49 (0)69 212 36107

Ms. Sabine Guttmann

Telephone: +49 (0)69 212 34351


Downloads, an overview

Publications / Event documentation and presentations

Publikationen / Veranstaltungsdokumentationen und -präsentationen


Policy position

Beschlusslage


Studies / Expert Reports / Contributions by the Panel of Experts – the Consilium

Untersuchungen / Gutachten / Beiträge Consilium / Konzepte