SPD seeks details on Schenker agreement settlement
In the heart of Oberhausen, a key urban development zone known as Neue Mitte, a logistics company, Schenker, has planned a settlement. This development has sparked discussions among local authorities and residents, with questions about the project's details, compatibility with the area's mixed uses, and the protection of existing functions.
Schenker, a daughter company of the railway, appears to be eyeing the old factory halls in Neue Mitte for their logistics operations. However, the specifics of the project, such as scale, exact location, investment amount, and timeline, remain unclear, with Schenker being evasive in a recent newspaper report about the number of employees and traffic volume associated with their planned settlement.
The Masterplan Neue Mitte, approved by the council in May, designates the area favored by Schenker as 'Thematic Area Leisure, Sport'. This designation has raised eyebrows, as Ulrich Real, the district mayor of Sterkrade and planning spokesperson of the SPD city council faction, has pointed out that this designation is a contradiction.
Ulrich Real has expressed that politics has been kept out of the process so far, but fundamental questions need to be answered. He has highlighted many unanswered questions about the planned settlement, including the existence of a purchase or lease agreement, and the necessity of a building plan.
The SPD faction wants answers to these questions in the next meeting of the city planning and mobility committee. They are particularly concerned about the potential impact of a large logistics facility on the area's retail, residential, and recreational functions.
To manage and protect against conflicting uses, several planning and regulatory instruments are typically recommended. These include clear zoning regulations, use-specific protections in the master plan, development controls and conditions, ongoing monitoring and enforcement, stakeholder coordination, and flexible, yet protective frameworks.
Ulrich Real has also expressed a desire to know how areas in the approved master plan can be protected from conflicting uses in the future. If you wish, I can assist in locating the latest municipal planning documents or press releases for precise Schenker project data and the current official stance on use protections in Oberhausen’s Neue Mitte.
Schenker's proposed settlement in Neue Mitte, a logistics company operating under the railway, raises questions about its compatibility with the area's designated thematic use as leisure and sport, as stated in the Masterplan Neue Mitte. The SPD faction, expressing concerns about potential impacts on retail, residential, and recreational functions, has requested answers about the project's details, including the existence of a purchase or lease agreement, and the necessity of a building plan, in the next meeting of the city planning and mobility committee.
