New splendor for Hamm: CDU plans a lively city center with 11 points!

New splendor for Hamm: CDU plans a lively city center with 11 points!

A lot is happening in Hamm! The CDU has submitted a comprehensive application to redesign the inner city situation, which has met with broad approval in the council. At a time when many cities are facing similar challenges, Hamm would like to impress with fresh ideas. The cornerstones of this concept include eleven crucial areas of action, ranging from upgrading the weekly market to creating additional parking spaces and providing more living space in the city. A central point is the design of the city center, especially around the Pauluskirche and Santa-Monica-Platz, where social and cultural activities are to be concentrated, as lippewelle.de reports.

The urgency of this project is obvious. CDU parliamentary group leader Ralf Steinhaus emphasizes the need for sustainable solutions while at the same time striving to revitalize social life in Hamm. “We need future-proof concepts that underline the flair of our city center,” says Steinhaus. The SPD is also optimistic and wanted to follow suit with the proposal, as they see many similarities, especially when it comes to security. Nevertheless, critics such as Cevdet Gürle from Pro Hamm point out that the focus is too much on parking spaces and cars, while the transport transition is left out. These disagreements highlight the complexity of the debate surrounding urban development.

Concrete measures for the city center

The city administration is ready to act. A city center office is to be set up to act as a contact point for retailers, restaurateurs and citizens. This measure aims to offer support to the city's actors and involve them directly in the development process. A number of structural measures were also announced, such as the upgrading of Rödinghauser Straße and traffic calming on Martin-Luther-Straße. The greening of Gustav-Heinemann-Straße is also on the agenda to make the urban space more livable.

A central point in the CDU's considerations is the need to integrate weather-based concepts into urban planning. This is intended to help combat overheating - an issue that is increasingly coming into focus when it comes to the urban climate. The proposals for reassessing the ideas from the Schlaun competition in relation to new architectural and climate standards are also reflected in the considerations, as explained on cduhamm.de.

The role of citizens

Another important aspect of the application package is the involvement of citizens in the planning processes. A committee should accompany the update of the “Integrated Urban Development Concept” so that funding can be secured and citizens’ ideas can be incorporated into the decisions. This ensures that the redesign not only benefits political actors, but also active city residents.

The local elections in September 2025 will set the course for future urban development. The views of the political factions vary, but the common vision of developing Hamm into a lively and sustainable city center seems to be a unifying element.