Löbstedt Land Use Plan: Designation of the Garden Area

As part of his tour of the city’s districts, Mayor Dr. Thomas Nitzsche visited the Löbstedt district on June 8. During the visit, he engaged in in-depth discussions with district council members and residents regarding the City of Jena’s new land use plan (FNP). A key focus was the garden area between Wiesenstraße and Löbstedter Straße, which is earmarked for commercial use in the future. In light of the discussions on site, the city considers it important to provide further information about the land use plan and its implications for Löbstedt.

The Land Use Plan Does Not Create Immediate Building Rights

The land use plan is a strategic master plan for the city’s long-term development. As a “preliminary urban development plan,” it merely outlines the basic principles of long-term urban development. Specific building rights are only established at subsequent planning levels, particularly through a zoning plan. In this legally regulated process, property owners, tenants, and the public are once again involved. The FNP does not serve as a legal basis for expropriation. Nor does it create direct building rights for individual properties. The mayor had already explicitly refuted such concerns during the district council meeting.

Integration of Technical Planning and Municipal Decisions

The Land Use Plan brings together the various spatial requirements—for example, for housing, commerce, research, social services, green spaces, and open areas—and balances them in the interest of the city as a whole. The plan is based on a variety of existing technical plans and development concepts already approved by the City Council. These sectoral concepts—including the residential land use concept, the employment and commercial land use concept, the garden development concept, and the urban climate concept—were developed through a broad participatory process and adopted by the City Council after intensive consideration of all relevant factors. The FNP therefore does not plan on its own, but rather brings together sector-specific plans and municipal decisions. The FNP secures options—whether and when an area is developed depends on actual demand. Building rights only arise with a detailed development plan. As part of the legally regulated procedure for drawing up the detailed development plan, all affected parties have another opportunity to present their concerns.

Concept for the Area South of the Steinbach

The planned commercial area in Löbstedt was part of this technical planning and evaluation process. The area south of the Steinbach is designated in the current concept for “Jena 2035 Workplace and Commercial Area Development” (City Council resolution of February 23, 2022) as the “Saalepark 3” potential area for long-term commercial development. By including this area in the FNP, the City of Jena aims to meet the long-term demand for commercial space along the existing development axis between the railroad line and Wiesenstraße. The planning objective is to complement the adjacent commercial sites “Saalepark 2” and “Löbstedt-Ost” to the south and north. The site is also located in the immediate vicinity of the existing “Camburger Straße Part 2” (Egelsee) commercial area and complements it effectively. Another advantage of the location is its good transportation connections to the road and path network as well as to public transit. The development aligns with the vision of the “city of short distances” and contributes to a sustainable, compact urban structure. Additionally, a green corridor is to be created along the Steinbach stream, connecting Löbstedt with the Saale floodplain and providing public green space for everyone.

Already very well equipped with gardens

With a total garden area of 580 hectares, 148 of which are allotment gardens, Jena is very well equipped with gardens. The Garden Development Concept (City Council resolution of March 21, 2024) envisions construction development for only a small portion of these extensive garden areas. These are primarily gardens in the built-up urban area with favorable topographical, urban planning, and infrastructural conditions. The gardens on Löbstedter Straße are among the areas identified in the Garden Development Concept that are designated for conversion from garden use to building land. These are not allotment gardens as defined by the Federal Allotment Garden Act.

Focusing on the City’s Development as a Whole

The city is aware that the areas currently used as leisure and recreational gardens hold great personal, family, and social significance for many owners and leaseholders. However, the City Council and the administration must keep the city’s overall development in mind. The social and recreational significance of the gardens is counterbalanced by weighty public interests, in particular the safeguarding of job-related development opportunities and thus the successful economic development of the city. Even more so than gardens, commercial land—as well as residential land—is a scarce resource.