The Handwerkerviertel has been undergoing redevelopment for 15 years. Since then, numerous measures have been implemented - such as the reconstruction of the first part of Poststrasse, the redesign of Robert-Koch-Platz and the northern Schachtweg. The city of Wolfsburg is planning an exhibition on "15 years of redevelopment in the Handwerkerviertel".

The exhibition presents the redevelopment activities of recent years. You will find information on the various public and private projects that have already been implemented on the eleven exhibition columns. Vivid before and after photos trace the urban development of the last 15 years. In addition, relevant stakeholders from the Handwerkerviertel also have their say. Finally, we will take a look into the future together - what else is in store for the Handwerkerviertel over the next few years?

In addition to the exhibition in the Bürgerhalle, an accompanying brochure on the projects and plans, as well as explanations and interviews, will be produced.

Exhibition duration: October 22 to November 15, 2024
Location: Town Hall A, Bürgerhalle, Porschestr. 49, Wolfsburg
Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 06:30 to 19:00, Friday 06:30 to 15:00

The redesign of Robert Koch Platz, which began in mid-2022, has been completed and was opened to the public on 23.01.2024. handed over to the public.

Mayor Dennis Weilmann, City Planning Councillor Kai- Uwe Hirschheide, representatives of Neuland, Ostfalia, politicians and the companies involved in the Ostfalia, politicians and the companies involved in the construction took part in the event.

The "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area, which has been designated since 2009, complements the area with its mix of uses and in particular its focus on education, with the vocational schools and Ostfalia, complements the offerings of the city center. city center. With the completion of Robert-Koch-Platz, one of the central redevelopment goals has been achieved, which is in in the immediate vicinity of the urban development area around the northern Porschestraße (Wolfsburg Connect, BraWo City).

In parallel with the redevelopment planning of recent years, the promise of redevelopment funding has also been realized in the Handwerkerviertel. the promise of redevelopment funding: where the public sector invests in the quality of urban life, private and other and other public clients follow suit.

Around Robert-Koch-Platz and beyond towards Schachtweg, Ostfalia in particular, as the building owner, has has played a major role in further developing and upgrading the study location in Wolfsburg. The redesign of Robert-Koch-Platz is an important building block for strengthening
Wolfsburg city center and on the way to Wolfsburg becoming a university city.

Both for the almost two and a half thousand students currently still studying in Wolfsburg and for the residents of the surrounding neighborhoods in the western city center, especially of course the residents of the the craftsmen's quarter, Robert-Koch-Platz is to become a place where people can meet, spend time and have fun. and enjoyment.

With the Council resolution of July 4, 2009 the "Handwerkerviertel" became a formally designated redevelopment area.

The redevelopment statutes on the formal designation of the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area in Official Gazette no. -__-0000-__- dated -__-0001-__-

With the inclusion of the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area in the "Urban Redevelopment West" urban development program in 2015 - transferred to the new "Growth and Sustainable Renewal" program in 2020 - it was possible to secure financial support from the federal and state governments to provide significant impetus for upgrading the district.

Before the first visible measures - such as the conversion of Poststrasse or the northern Schachtweg - could be implemented in the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area, a planning basis first had to be developed. In 2008/2009, preparatory studiesand publications had to be carried out to check whether the requirements for the designation of a redevelopment area were even met. In 2010, a framework plan was drawn up for the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area, which has now been updated between 2020 and 2022. The most important overarching planning principles for the "Handwerkerviertel" are presented in more detail below.

Over the past fifteen years, numerous projects have already been implemented, initiated and supported in the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area. Public investment in road renewal, educational buildings and the preparation and planning of further measures has had a stimulating effect and has resulted in several private renovation and new construction projects.
The completed and planned construction measures in the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area are shown on a map on the City of Wolfsburg's geoportal.

In order to ensure that the redevelopment objectives previously defined for the redevelopment area are achieved, certain projects and processes are subject to approval. The so-called redevelopment permit must be obtained in addition to any building permit that may be required.

The legal basis for this is the German Building Code (BauGB) - specifically sections 144 Projects and legal transactions requiring approval and 145 Approval.

What do I need a redevelopment permit for?

Owners must obtain approval under redevelopment law if , for example, they

• want to erect a building, intend to change the use of buildings ( e.g. conversion of an apartment into an office)
• want to carry out repairs and modernization measures on existing buildings that entail significant or substantial value-enhancing changes, but for which no building permit is required
• want to demolish a building, sell or divide their property or create or sell a heritable building right
• conclude a rental or lease agreement where the agreed term exceeds one year in the case of a fixed term, with an indefinite contract term and the notice period is longer than one year, or is limited to longer than one year in the case of a contract extension
• wish to register a building charge or divide or unite a property, or encumber a property with a land charge or mortgage.

This list is not exhaustive. It is therefore recommended that you contact the redevelopment authority (Mr. Malewicz, Tel: 05361 28-2987) before undertaking any measures or legal transactions.

Collection of compensation amounts

As a result of the investments made, the properties located in the redevelopment area increase in value. For this increase in value - and only for the redevelopment-related increases in land value - the city is legally obliged on the basis of the provisions of the German Building Code (BauGB) to levy a contribution from the property owners in the form of a so-called "equalization amount".

Changes in land values due to the economic situation are not taken into account when calculating the equalization amount. In particular, the building values and thus the investments made by the owners in and on the buildings are not taken into account!

The equalization amounts are not determined by the city, but by the Braunschweig-Wolfsburg Land Valuation Committee at the Lower Saxony State Office for Geoinformation and Land Surveying. The expert committee determines the corresponding standard land values and maps them in mostly zonal value appraisals for the individual redevelopment areas:

• On the one hand, this shows the land values that the properties have on the basis of the redevelopment objectives at the end of the redevelopment.
• The land values that the properties would have had if no redevelopment had been carried out are also shown.

In order to exclude the possibility of cyclical influences being included in the calculations described due to the long period of time over which the redevelopment was carried out, the values are determined in each case in relation to the same reporting date.

The following diagram illustrates the relationship:
Determination of the equalization amount:

According to Section 154 BauGB, the compensation amount is to be paid by the owner, but not by the leaseholder or person entitled to leasehold development rights, nor by the tenant. In the case of leasehold properties, the heritable building right provider is responsible for the compensation amount. As the landowner, the city does not pay any compensation for schools, roads and green spaces.

Under current tenancy law, the equalization amount is not an apportionable cost.

In principle, the compensation amount must be paid after completion of the refurbishment; it is then levied by notice. However, it is also possible to pay the equalization amount early.

Further information on compensation amounts and their collection can be obtained from the "Redevelopment" team of the City of Wolfsburg

• Mr. Teigeler (28 - 1677, christian.teigeler@stadt.wolfsburg.de)
• Ms. Meyer (28 - 2605, anja.meyer@stadt.wolfsburg.de)
• Mrs. Peters (28 - 1674, katharina.peters@stadt.wolfsburg.de)
• Mrs. Alber (28 - 1897, irina.alber@stadt.wolfsburg.de)

Important local stakeholders are to be involved in the process of redeveloping the Handwerkerviertel. For this reason, a redevelopment advisory board was formed back in 2012. Since then, representatives of tradespeople and property owners have been regularly elected to this committee, as well as representatives from schools, the university, the housing industry, the local council and the urban planning and building consultancy department.

The composition of the redevelopment advisory board is intended to ensure that the different interests from the redevelopment area are also reflected in the redevelopment advisory board. The task of the redevelopment advisory board is to make recommendations on measures, plans and projects in the "Handwerkerviertel", which are to be discussed and decided on by the council and its committees. The committee also serves to pass on information, concerns and tips from the neighborhood to the administration. The Urban Planning and Building Consultancy division provides information on individual plans and specialist topics, as do other divisions of the administration as required. The meetings of the redevelopment advisory board are open to the public.

Participation opportunities

Would you like to be informed about further events and plans in the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area? Then you can here leave your e-mail address.

Note: By entering your e-mail address, you agree to receive further information on the redevelopment of the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area from the City of Wolfsburg or the commissioned redevelopment agency. Your e-mail address will not be passed on.

From left to right: Neighborhood architect Regina Jost, Benedikt Vos, Heike Pfeiffer Since January 2014, the redevelopment management team of S.T.E.R.N. - Gesellschaft der behutsamen Stadterneuerung mbH - from Berlin has been supporting the city of Wolfsburg in the redevelopment of the "Handwerkerviertel". The S.T.E.R.N. employees are working closely are working closely with local stakeholders and residents, which is also reflected in the good cooperation between the which is also reflected in the good cooperation with the redevelopment advisory board.

A redevelopment office has been set up for the neighborhood, where Mr. Vos is available as project manager for personal queries. is available for personal queries. As the district architect, Ms Jost advises the owners on the development, conversion or refurbishment of their properties. development, conversion or renovation of their property. Citizen and stakeholder participation is primarily organized by Mr. Vos and Ms. Pfeiffer. Vos and Ms Pfeiffer.

The main tasks of the redevelopment management in the "Handwerkerviertel" include monitoring construction measures and supporting the city of Wolfsburg in the preparation of further renewal measures as part of the Sustainable Renewal funding programme, as well as public relations work and the organization and monitoring of the redevelopment advisory board meetings.

Redevelopment office Schachtweg 12

The city of Wolfsburg uses the redevelopment office at Schachtweg 12 primarily for events and consultations relating to the "Handwerkerviertel" and "Die Höfe" redevelopment areas.

The redevelopment office is open every Tuesday. You can reach us during office hours from 10.00 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 5.00 pm. We look forward to your visit!

The redevelopment management team will also be happy to provide you with information and advice on the "Handwerkerviertel" redevelopment area by telephone and e-mail. The office is under the telephone number 05361 28-1853 and under the e-mail address sanierung-handwerkerviertel@stadt.wolfsburg.de .