Hanging game when planning demolition on the district road in Selm: Investor in default

Hanging game when planning demolition on the district road in Selm: Investor in default

conversion of the district road in Selm: challenges and delays

The planned demolition of the empty houses on the district road in Selm is developing into a lengthy hanging section, which presents both the residents and the city administration of challenges. The demolition houses have been empty for over two years, and instead of a rapid redesign of the district, there is a standstill.

Originally, the investor ten Brinke should start demolition shortly after the houses took over in January 2022. But unexpected bureaucratic hurdles delayed the process considerably. The investor urged that a detailed development plan must be available before further steps could be taken. This led to a standstill that lasted until the summer of 2023.

The residents of Selm still have to live with an empty and decaying cityscape, while the concrete plans for the new building after the demolition appear more and more like an unreachable vision. The investor has not yet made a building application and does not seem to have a clear idea of the further process.

A ray of hope in this matter is the decision of the drugstore chain DM to withdraw from the planned new building and stay at the old location. This could be a chance for the city of Selm to rethink the planned construction project and possibly consider an alternative use of the area.

- Nag