Wiesbaden introduces new land management for sustainable urban development
The state capital of Wiesbaden is taking a further step towards sustainable urban development and protecting land as a scarce and valuable resource. To this end, the city council has adopted a new concept for land management.
In the future, soil protection will be systematically taken into account in construction and planning projects. This applies above all when balancing these goals against other important objectives—such as housing construction or the development of commercial areas. The new concept will make it more attractive to carry out construction projects on sites with lower soil quality. High-quality soils, on the other hand, will be better protected.
Mayor Gert-Uwe Mende: “Wiesbaden needs housing and must at the same time manage its soil responsibly. The soil management concept creates a reliable framework for this and helps ensure sustainable and future-oriented urban development.”
Mayor and Head of the Environment Department Christiane Hinninger: “With the new concept, we aim to better protect a scarce and valuable resource by limiting and managing soil sealing. Soils fulfill important functions: They are the foundation of food production, store water, regulate the climate, and provide habitat for plants and animals.”
The soil management concept was developed jointly by the Environmental Office and the City Planning Office. It will be applied in urban land-use planning going forward. With the City Council’s resolution, the concept is officially recognized as an urban development concept under the Building Code.
In the future, the impacts of construction projects on the soil can be assessed more transparently. The new concept helps to find more sustainable solutions and select sites more consciously.
A central control mechanism of the concept is the so-called soil quota. A total budget of 1,044 soil index points has been set for Wiesbaden. These are determined by the size of the area and the quality of the soil.
The system is structured as a points account. Points are “deducted” for construction projects that utilize new land in outlying areas. The larger the area and the higher the soil quality, the more points are required.
The quota is limited, meaning only a certain number of land points are available.
For more information on the land management concept, visit www.wiesbaden.de/bodenschutz.
This press release is issued by the Press Office of the State Capital of Wiesbaden, Schlossplatz 6, 65183 Wiesbaden, pressereferatwiesbadende Citizens with questions can contact the responsible department or office.