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New shopping center en masse: Citizens are happy about Edeka & Pharmacy!
Unna-Massen receives local supply center with Edeka and drugstore. Citizen surveys show high levels of support. Urban development plan starts on July 2nd.
New shopping center en masse: Citizens are happy about Edeka & Pharmacy!
Something is happening in Unna masses! After years of discussion and citizen participation, the planned local supply center has finally received the green light. The new building is being realized by the Ten Brinke Group after the previous investor Löer pulled out. In a citizen survey four years ago, two out of three respondents showed great interest in new shopping opportunities in their district. This sentiment appears to have been confirmed in recent surveys conducted from late April to mid-May. 61% of participants support the construction project on Massener Bahnhofstrasse.
The key data of the project are promising: A large Edeka store with around 1,500 m² of sales space, a drugstore and a non-food specialist store are planned. There will also be housing options – specifically around 11 apartments. And so that drivers don't get stuck in traffic jams, around 155 parking spaces are planned. In this way, the Ten Brinke Group is responding to the wishes of citizens who have increasingly missed a drugstore on offer, as Rundblick Unna has already reported.
Retail on the rise
The development is not only important because of the new purchasing options, but is also intended to help prevent a drain on purchasing power and strengthen central supply structures. Despite the concerns of some citizens about the relocation of the Edeka market in Obermassen, it is emphasized that local supplies will be ensured by a new Aldi. There are also plans for a public green space and the creation of a residential and special area in the development plan.
A central issue that is certainly causing a stir in urban development is traffic conditions. These have already been discussed with specialist authorities, and traffic planners consider the connection of the new center to be possible provided that the streets are redesigned. Suggestions for traffic optimization include changes to traffic lights and adjusted lane divisions. Citizens can obtain further information from the urban development committee on July 2nd.
Citizen participation and surveys
The response to previous surveys shows that a majority of citizens have positive expectations of urban development. Support for the shopping center is particularly strong in Massen-Nord and Niedermassen. Although the criticism was mainly expressed in relation to increased traffic volumes and the distribution of shopping options, the city administration will present the survey results at a citizens' meeting after the summer break. A political process could be completed in as little as nine months, which would move the project forward quickly.
While the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises are putting a strain on purchasing behavior and inner city development, those responsible are relying on the strategic recommendations for action from the Federal Institute for Building, Urban and Spatial Research. The focus is on strengthening inner cities that are affected by a tension between vacancies and loss of sales, as set out in a study.
The implementation of the local supply center on a mass scale is now in the starting blocks, and citizens can look forward to the coming developments!