Hesse is relying on construction turbo: more apartments should be built faster!

Hesse is relying on construction turbo: more apartments should be built faster!

Housing construction in Hesse is on the verge of a new beginning: an impressive 1,620 new apartments were approved in March 2023, which corresponds to an increase of 46 percent compared to February and 8 percent compared to the previous year. But this increase remains in the shadow of the 3,193 building permits issued in March 2022, almost twice as many as this year. The Federal Construction Minister Verena Hubertz launched the concept of a “construction turbo” in order to significantly speed up the approval processes. Representatives from politics and business are pushing for these plans to be implemented quickly because the demand for living space remains unabated. The FAZ reports from the urgent demands to create development plans more quickly.

A central voice in the discussion is Peter Adrian, President of the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who emphasizes that the creation of development plans urgently needs to be accelerated. Ulrich Caspar, President of the Frankfurt Chamber of Industry and Commerce, also appeals to municipalities to use new planning horizons and react more quickly. The construction of social housing remains a crucial challenge: Hesse needs 7,000 new units every year, but last year only around 2,000 were built. Minister Kaweh Mansoori is therefore also calling for an increase in funding, with only 800 million euros having been approved so far.

Reform of the Hessian building regulations

A comprehensive reform approach is becoming increasingly urgent, and the planned amendment to the Hessian Building Code (HBO) could shed light on this. Mansoori introduced the bill that would relax the requirement to build parking spaces and allow attics to be built without a permit. This test regulation will apply until 2030 in cities such as Frankfurt, Kassel and Wiesbaden. Despite the positive signals, experts do not agree on the full scope of this reform: While Axel Thousandppound from the Southwest German Housing Industry welcomes it, Gerhard Greiner from the Chamber of Architects and Urban Planners still sees a need for more action. Hessenschau highlights that the abolition of the playground requirement is already being viewed critically by the Greens, who are calling for more commitment to social housing.

There are also concerns that the law being discussed to combat housing vacancies could be a hindrance to actual housing construction. The criticism also extends to supposedly excessive requirements that restrict the owners' freedom of choice. Mansoori speaks of “regulatory overreach” and is pushing for more freedom for companies. Thomas Reimann from the Hessian business associations also points out the increased construction costs and reduced building permits, which place additional strain on the construction project.

The role of the population and initiatives

The “Impulse for Housing Construction – HESSEN” initiative has been active for a decade and is committed to more living space and better conditions for the construction and real estate industry in Hesse. Speaker Gerald Lipka highlights the urgent need for affordable housing and warns of a decline in building permits. The initiative calls for increased cooperation between the federal, state and local governments in order to overcome the challenges together. The Hesse construction industry complains also the extensive bureaucracy, which often slows down construction projects and makes it difficult to act quickly.

At a time when the housing shortage continues to worsen, it remains to be hoped that the announced reforms will actually have an effect and that people in Hesse will quickly find the apartments they need. It is up to political decision-makers to give the construction industry a good hand and move smoothly into implementation. The upcoming measures could provide an important stimulus for housing construction and thus set the course for the future.