Construction Acceleration Measures in Practice

New legislation, dubbed the "Bau-Turbo" (construction turbo), aims to accelerate building project approvals in Germany. While some municipalities welcome the changes, others argue they don't go far enough to address the core issues hindering faster construction.

Key Points

• The "Bau-Turbo" is designed to give municipalities greater flexibility in approving building projects that deviate from existing zoning regulations.
• A key provision allows construction in inner-city areas without a prior zoning plan.
• The reform aims to speed up the building application process, with applications deemed approved after three months if not explicitly rejected.
• Some officials believe the "Bau-Turbo" doesn't go far enough and call for broader reforms to streamline building regulations.
• Demands include reducing the need for extensive environmental impact reports, traffic assessments, and noise studies, especially for previously developed sites.
• The construction industry also urges for reduced requirements for new buildings to lower construction costs, citing parking space regulations as an example.

Background

Germany faces ongoing challenges in accelerating housing construction. The "Bau-Turbo" is the latest in a series of legislative efforts to address these challenges. A previous reform, also labeled "Bau-Turbo," granted municipalities the ability to deviate from zoning plan requirements in certain cases. These measures are driven by the federal government's desire to increase the supply of housing and reduce construction costs. However, the effectiveness of these reforms is debated, with some stakeholders arguing that more fundamental changes are needed.

Numbers & Facts

• The "Bau-Turbo" was approved by the Bundesrat (Federal Council).
• Federal Building Minister Verena Hubertz (SPD) is advocating for the "Bau-Turbo."
• The previous "Bau-Turbo" reform was implemented under Hubertz's predecessor, Klara Geywitz (SPD).
• One example project in Düsseldorf has been delayed for three and a half years due to zoning restrictions.
• The "Bau-Turbo" stipulates a three-month deadline for building application approvals.

Assessment

The "Bau-Turbo" is seen as a potentially helpful step towards accelerating construction projects, particularly in situations where existing zoning regulations are hindering development. Municipalities like Düsseldorf welcome measures that increase efficiency. However, the effectiveness of the "Bau-Turbo" is questioned by some, who argue that it doesn't address the underlying issues of complex and burdensome building regulations. Project developers suggest the current iteration primarily focuses on planning and requires further reforms to have a substantial impact on actual construction timelines and costs. Some stakeholders believe the regulations for environmental assessments, traffic, noise etc. are too stringent and cause unnecessary delays and expenses, especially in already developed areas.

Outlook

The success of the "Bau-Turbo" will depend on how effectively municipalities implement the new regulations and whether further reforms are enacted to address the concerns raised by industry experts and local officials. The project developer in Düsseldorf intends to submit a building application under the new regulations, providing a test case for its effectiveness. The coming months will reveal whether the new legislation leads to tangible improvements in construction timelines and housing supply. The discussion around further deregulation and streamlining of building requirements is likely to continue.

Source: https://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/konjunktur/bauturbo-umsetzung-duesseldorf-100.html