Will the municipality of Schönefeld implement an urban development measure for the competition area in Schönefeld Nord, or will it rely on other urban and zoning planning tools for the development of the 150-hectare site? Even two years after the municipal council’s resolution and the start of the preliminary investigation, this question remains open.
Last night, a representative of the company commissioned with the assessment presented the current status to the Development Committee. Over the past months, a detailed inventory and discussions with property owners have taken place. Additionally, a financial framework has been developed, and land value calculations have begun.
At the same time, the draft of the master plan—which will later serve as the basis for further zoning and land-use planning—is being refined. The biggest challenges remain the high-voltage power line crossing the planned residential area and the uncertain extension of the U-Bahn line, which is expected to run through the planning area.
The report from the preliminary investigation will include a recommendation for local policymakers, who will then decide on the next steps in an upcoming municipal council meeting.
According to Claudia Moch, head of the Department of Construction and Investor Services, the goal is to finalize the master plan by mid-2025. The Development Committee plans to intensify discussions on the details starting in the new year.
Parking Spaces Becoming a Challenge
Another key issue from last night’s meeting will be revisited in the next session. The topic concerns requests for exemptions from zoning regulations for the Sonnenhöfe buildings on Hans-Grade-Allee. The proposal aims to allow for the expansion and establishment of medical practices. However, the required parking spaces exceed the original zoning plan’s parking allocation.
The affected building was originally approved for office use. A medical center requires a higher parking space ratio, meaning more parking spaces must be provided. While current vacancies theoretically allow for the needed spaces, this could limit future full occupancy of the building unless additional parking solutions are found.
Due to the already strained parking situation in the neighborhood, committee members felt unable to make a final decision. The municipal administration has been tasked with developing a parking solution for discussion at the next Development Committee meeting.
A similar exemption request had previously been granted for the establishment of a daycare center in the office building. Since visitor traffic is minimal—apart from pick-up and drop-off times for patients—and staff can use the originally designated office parking spaces, the initial seven parking spaces remain sufficient. According to the zoning plan’s parking regulations, the daycare would have required 17 spaces instead.
