Jena creates clarity in the application of the "construction turbo"
How can the federal government's so-called "Construction Turbo Act" be implemented without losing sight of urban development goals? The City of Jena would like to answer this question with framework guidelines and decision criteria. They are intended to clarify the conditions under which construction projects will receive general approval from the city under the new federal regulations. The Jena City Council is expected to decide on the proposed municipal guidelines on 01.04.2026. A first reading took place on 12.02.2026 in the urban development committee.
"We are consciously taking a step forward and see the implementation of the Bauturbo Act as an opportunity for Jena,"
explains Dirk Lange, Head of Urban Development and Environment.
"It is important that we use the guidelines to create clear and reliable rules at an early stage so that those willing to build can assess which new opportunities for housing construction are available in Jena. The construction turbo can help to speed up approval procedures and reduce existing hurdles, particularly in the area of private construction."
Guidelines for more residential construction in Jena
The aim of the city's guidelines is to promote housing construction in Jena and at the same time ensure orderly urban development and a uniform decision-making process. Construction projects in accordance with the "Bauturbo" regulations can generally receive the approval of the city if the guidelines are adhered to. Above a certain size and in the case of projects requiring planning, the decision on municipal approval is to be made by political bodies as before.
The decisive factor for processes according to Bauturbo is that they do not contradict the city's urban development goals and organic settlement development and that development is secured. In inner areas, i.e. in already built-up districts, for example, limited overruns of the previous level of building use are possible. In commercial and industrial areas, on the other hand, residential construction should not be promoted so as not to restrict existing commercial uses. Planning procedures will continue to be necessary for more extensive projects in so-called outdoor areas.
In order to clarify the requirements for municipal approval, it is necessary and advisable to coordinate construction projects with the city administration at an early stage. This ensures that it is clear at an early stage whether there is a case for the construction turbo and which issues need to be considered in this context.
"Housing construction in Jena can receive an important boost from the construction turbo. However, it is not yet possible to estimate the extent to which applications will be submitted, processed and approved under Bauturbo,"
says department head Lange.
"That's why we want to evaluate after a year how many applications have been submitted and how the time required for the procedures has developed. On this basis, we can make adjustments if necessary. The important thing is that we want to make something possible with the guidelines and boldly tap into potential."
The federal government's Construction Turbo Act
On October 30, 2025, the "Act to Accelerate Housing Construction and Secure Housing" passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat came into force. The amendment to the Building Code is intended to facilitate housing construction by extending the scope for deviations in planning law.
The newly introduced Section 36a BauGB also introduced an approval procedure: Building projects that are to be approved in accordance with the regulations of the so-called "Bauturbos" require the approval of the local authority. If no decision is made within three months, approval is deemed to have been granted under building planning law. With this in mind, the city of Jena is now specifying the application of the new regulations and would like to allocate responsibilities in a way that is close to the citizens.