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Darmstadt sets guidelines for accelerated housing construction procedures
Following the amendment to the Federal Building Code (BauGB), with which the German Bundestag introduced new instruments to accelerate residential construction projects in autumn 2025, the city council of Darmstadt, a city of science, determined in its meeting on Wednesday (28th) how these regulations should be applied in the future. The aim is a transparent and responsible approach to the new possibilities, which are colloquially referred to as a "construction accelerator".
The new regulations can be applied independently by cities and municipalities. They are intended to help reduce bureaucratic hurdles and shorten planning procedures without losing sight of orderly urban development.
Planning Director Michael Kolmer emphasizes: “The new regulations give us additional leeway to accelerate planning procedures. We see good application possibilities, especially for outdated provisions in older development plans. We retain control over the process and urban planning quality.”
More flexibility in existing planning law
In the future, existing development plans can be interpreted more flexibly in certain cases. For example, it will be possible to deviate from regulations for residential construction, even if this affects the fundamental principles of the plan. Furthermore, new residential buildings can be approved even if they do not fully blend into their surroundings. The city administration makes such decisions within the regular building permit process, taking into account the interests of the neighborhood as well as public concerns such as the townscape, environmental protection, and climate protection.
Also new is a tool for larger residential construction projects that require an urban planning concept. Under certain conditions, a full zoning plan procedure can be waived. Due to the scope of such projects, the city council remains closely involved: it initially decides whether to initiate a zoning plan procedure. After early public and expert participation, the city administration decides whether to apply the accelerated procedure. This can result in time savings of one and a half years or more before construction begins for larger projects.
Clear guidelines for deployment
To ensure responsible use, the city has defined clear limits. In sensitive areas – such as undeveloped land without prior planning for housing, protected areas, or risk zones – accelerated construction is prohibited. Furthermore, developers must submit urban planning concepts, commission necessary expert reports, and meet other municipal standards, such as those related to climate adaptation and social housing.
Furthermore, the city administration intends to examine in which parts of the city the new instruments can be used effectively. In the future, development areas will be actively identified, instead of solely reacting to individual building applications.
The "construction turbo" is understood as an experimental clause. The city of Darmstadt, a center of science and research, intends to regularly review its application and further develop it as needed, in order to combine faster construction with orderly urban development. Further information is available on the city of Darmstadt's website under the topic of the construction turbo.
(Darmstadt - Red/PSD/Stip)
