Barracks in Fürstenfeldbruck: Plans for new districts stopped!

Barracks in Fürstenfeldbruck: Plans for new districts stopped!

There is great disillusionment in Fürstenfeldbruck, Erding and Maisach: the planned conversions of former barracks into new districts have been stopped, even though significant investments have been made in the conversion projects since 2011. Millions of taxpayers' money went into the preparations, but it is now unclear what will happen next. The Federal Ministry of Defense has announced a moratorium on the conversion of Bundeswehr properties, which nullifies the desired creation of around 10,000 new apartments in the three cities.

The affected properties, including the former air base in Fürstenfeldbruck and parts of Tegel Airport in Berlin, are now in jeopardy. Particularly frustrating for the communities: They were prepared for the Defense Ministry's decision and had already heard rumors about the moratorium since the beginning of September. The mayor and the responsible conversion manager express dissatisfaction with the poor communication from the ministry.

Investments and future prospects

In recent years, large sums have been invested in conversion planning, and the Fürstenfeldbruck city administration is now working on a detailed cost breakdown. Funding from the Free State of Bavaria, which has been made available since 2011, is also no longer available. This hits the communities that had hoped for the conversion projects hard.

While the implementation of a 'Defense Lab' in Erding, which will deal with drone defense, is still being planned, statements on the future of the other projects are in limbo. However, a new train station and the S-Bahn ring connection in the north of Munich are still being pursued. The region could use this infrastructure progress. In Fürstenfeldbruck it was also planned to create 3,000 new jobs and build a memorial for the Olympic attack and an anchor center for asylum seekers.

Maisach, on the other hand, is planning commercial use of the air base area, most of which is located on its territory. Although the biodrome company withdrew from the project due to a lack of investors, there are signs that companies from the defense and security technology sectors are showing interest in the space. But what will happen to the planned leisure areas and apartments in Maisach? This question remains unanswered for the time being.

Support in military conversion

The need for financial support to affected communities is undeniable. As part of the Bavarian Urban Development Funding Program, the [Free State of Bavaria](https://www.stmb.bayern.de/buw/staedtebaufoerderung/foerderschwer points/militaerkonversion/index.php) offers aid to cities and municipalities affected by the Bundeswehr reform. Preparatory measures such as urban planning studies benefit from increased funding rates, especially for structurally weak communities.

The return of the Bundeswehr properties to civilian use or a comprehensive conversion could take some time, but the upcoming talks between the Ministry of Defense and the affected municipalities are an important step towards reconciling military and municipal interests.

In view of these developments, it remains to be seen how the municipality as a whole will respond to the challenges and what opportunities will open up in the future. A good hand and creative solutions are required in order not to lose sight of the plans for the positive development of the region.