The Federal Council has now also approved the "construction turbo." This will enable cities and municipalities to give the green light for housing construction more quickly in the future. The aim is to stimulate housing construction and create more affordable living space.
In Germany, there is a shortage of housing, particularly in economically strong cities. According to a recent estimate by the Pestel Institute, there is now a shortage of 1.2 million homes in western Germany alone – significantly more than previously assumed. The number of building permits issued has been declining sharply since 2023. The housing shortage is now even hampering Germany's economic development.
Federal Construction Minister Verena Hubertz wants to speed things up with the "Bau-Turbo" (construction turbo). "We need more affordable housing quickly. The new regulation enables municipalities to significantly accelerate planning and approval processes. This saves time and money."
The new special regulation in Section 246e of the Building Code and other related new regulations allow for far-reaching deviations from building planning law. This means that cities and municipalities can decide for themselves whether and to what extent they use them.
The new regulations include: Cities and municipalities can dispense with drawing up a development plan. Building applications are considered approved after three months if the authority does not reject the application during this period. This special regulation is to apply until the end of 2030. The Federal Ministry of Construction will evaluate the effectiveness of these regulations by the end of 2029, focusing in particular on whether they contribute to the creation of new housing. The new special regulation makes it possible to build new apartments more quickly, expand and add stories to residential buildings, and convert buildings into residential space, for example commercial space and buildings.
The draft law passed by the cabinet was adopted by the Bundestag with amendments, and the Bundesrat also approved the law in its second reading. It will come into force for the most part on January 1, 2027.
Photo: © Florian Kurz, Pixabay
