Construction crisis in Saarland: New president hopes for a construction boost!

Construction crisis in Saarland: New president hopes for a construction boost!

The construction industry in Saarland is on the brink. There has been less construction here for years and the industry is suffering greatly as a result. Now, however, there is a ray of hope. The construction industry employers' association has elected Joachim Reinert as its new president, replacing Klaus Ehrhardt, who headed AGV Bau Saar for almost a decade. This personnel could provide new impetus for the ailing construction industry, which is increasingly suffering from a decline in the number of newly built residential properties. Only 280 new houses were built last year, a decline of a whopping 71% compared to 2021. The number of newly built apartments also fell drastically - with only around 1,100 units, a decrease of 54%.

The reasons for this worrying development are manifold. High interest rates, rising material costs and growing planning uncertainty are deterring builders and investors. In addition, changes or the expiration of funding programs create additional uncertainty. Against this background, the Saarland construction industry is optimistic about the “construction turbo” presented by the federal government, as accelerated approval procedures could potentially bring a breath of fresh air into the stagnating market situation. So reported daily news.

The construction turbo: A law with a groundbreaking vision

On June 18, 2025, the Federal Cabinet approved a draft law to accelerate housing construction, which is intended to increase the efficiency of planning processes. The idea behind it is clear: municipalities should be able to act more flexibly in the future. Verena Hubertz, the Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction, promises that the average planning times could be shortened from the current five years to a full two months. This is a huge step in the right direction and could significantly reduce the burden on the construction industry BMWSB secure.

The main points of the bill, which aims to reform the Construction Code, include, among others:

• Erlaubnis von Abweichungen von bauplanungsrechtlichen Vorschriften für zwei Monate.
• Erleichterung der Nachverdichtung in städtischen Innenbereichen.
• Eröffnung des Außenbereichs für neuen Wohnraum unter Berücksichtigung des Umweltschutzes.

It is also expected that households and companies could benefit from more than 2.5 billion euros in financial relief every year. The focus is particularly on target groups such as families, students and people with low incomes. This project is also a reaction to the tense housing market in Saarland and other regions that hope to improve the housing situation.

Conclusion: On the right track

In conclusion, it remains to be said that, despite the difficult situation with a new president and the prospect of the “construction turbo”, the construction industry in Saarland can perhaps turn things around. The ability to dramatically reduce planning times could breathe new life into a stagnant market. The Saarland construction industry agrees: If the law is passed in the Bundestag by autumn 2025, there is a good chance that we will soon see more new living space on the market again. In this sense, we can only hope that the announced steps will actually be put into practice - so that more can finally be built again and Saarland can find its way out of its construction crisis Mirror reported.