Regional plan Ruhr: Tradespeople demand legal certainty

Following the Higher Administrative Court of Münster's declaration of the Ruhr Regional Plan as invalid, the future of land-use planning remains unclear. The skilled trades sector is demanding legal certainty and a clear roadmap for the next steps.

The Ruhr Regional Plan establishes the spatial planning objectives for the region's development. It determines how cities and districts use their land, for example, for economic activity, settlements, renewable energy expansion, or environmental protection. The plan was developed by the Ruhr Regional Association (RVR). The RVR's area of ​​responsibility includes the cities of Bochum, Bottrop, Dortmund, Duisburg, Essen, Gelsenkirchen, Hagen, Hamm, Herne, Mülheim an der Ruhr, and Oberhausen, as well as the districts of Recklinghausen, Unna, Wesel, and Ennepe-Ruhr.

The Higher Administrative Court for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia in Münster has now declared this plan invalid, citing, among other things, a flawed needs assessment based on outdated figures. The Ruhr region's trade associations view the ruling as a "significant setback for the long-term economic development of the Ruhr area." They demand that the RVR (Regional Association Ruhr) promptly analyze the written grounds for the judgment as soon as they are available. Following this analysis, the association must address the identified issues in a legally sound manner and establish a clear roadmap for the further proceedings.

"The economy needs clarity"

The economy needs a reliable development perspective for commercial areas. "The ruling by the Higher Administrative Court of Münster is a serious setback for location development in the Ruhr region. Businesses need clarity on where commercial development will be possible in the medium and long term. At the same time, it is important to note that the ruling does not create an immediate planning vacuum. The municipalities have valid land-use plans that form the basis for current procedures," says Andreas Ehlert, President of the Düsseldorf Chamber of Skilled Crafts , which is leading the "Handwerk Region Ruhr" initiative.

Background: Read more about the Economic Development Summit here . With the Ruhr Economic Development Summit, the Ruhr region has just sent a strong signal for the activation of industrial land. This positive signal must not be hampered by a prolonged period of uncertainty. Ehlert: "Without reliable prospects for available land, business decisions will be postponed. Therefore, it is now crucial to look ahead. The ball is now in the RVR's court. Together with the municipalities, it must outline a viable and legally sound path for the region's development, one in which everyone pulls together. The Ruhr region as a business location cannot afford years of limbo."

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Crafts Region Ruhr The crafts organizations in the Ruhr region – the three chambers of crafts Münster, Dortmund and Düsseldorf as well as nine district craft associations – joined together in 2018 in the working group "Craft Region Ruhr" to represent their political positions jointly and at the regional level.

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