New building law: Vice Chancellor Klingbeil promises housing construction turbo!

New building law: Vice Chancellor Klingbeil promises housing construction turbo!

At a time when affordable housing is in greater demand than ever, the federal government under Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has introduced a new law to promote and accelerate housing construction. The law is expected to be approved by the federal cabinet on Wednesday in order to counteract the ongoing shortage of housing. Klingbeil sees the housing situation as one of the major social issues of our time. This step could bring about decisive changes here, as housing construction in Germany has recently come under severe pressure.

The numbers speak for themselves: last year there were only over 215,000 building permits, a far cry from the previous government's target of creating 400,000 new homes annually. High construction costs, increased interest rates and a shortage of skilled workers are causing problems for housing construction. But with the new legislative package from Construction Minister Verena Hubertz, there is now more flexibility in order to speed up the approval process.

Important innovations in the building code

In order to strengthen integrated urban development, the draft to reform the building code (amendment to the BauGB) was passed. The aim of these comprehensive changes is to improve housing, construction and life in both cities and rural areas. The Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Construction, Klara Geywitz, emphasizes that the innovations not only make hinterland development easier for families, but also make it possible to expand existing buildings without changing the development plan. This is a clear step towards fast and flexible construction.

• Umwandlungsschutz für Mietwohnungen in Eigentumswohnungen wird bis Ende 2027 verlängert.
• Kommunen können Vorkaufsrechte bei Verkäufen aller Eigentumswohnungen aus einem Vertrag ausüben.
• Bebauungspläne sollen innerhalb von 12 Monaten nach Beteiligungsverfahren vorliegen.
• Einführung von sozialen Flächenbeiträgen und Maßnahmen zur Begrünung von Baugebieten.

A “construction turbo” for communities

A central point of the law is the so-called “construction turbo”, which allows municipalities to streamline approval processes and deviate from existing development plans. The aim is to further simplify these procedures so that sealing or expansion can be carried out more quickly. In addition, conversion protection for rental apartments will continue to be guaranteed, which represents important security for many tenants.

In addition to the changes to the building code, the federal government is announcing an investment budget of around 110 billion euros for the real estate industry. This should benefit the construction industry, which hopes to shorten lead times and lower planning costs. However, the success of these reforms will largely depend on the willingness of municipalities to actively exploit the new opportunities, especially in tight markets where larger construction projects can be approved under easier conditions.

The construction industry is optimistic for the coming months. The new scope not only promotes the creation of new housing, but could also trigger new, innovative approaches in construction. But legal advice also plays a crucial role in successfully implementing the applications and convincing the responsible authorities of the new options.

The comprehensive reforms of the last few weeks could actually herald a change in German housing construction. With a clear plan and a solid budget, it could be possible to stimulate construction activity, which has slowed down in recent years, and to ensure more affordable housing. Correct implementation will be the key to success.

For more information on these developments, visit NP-Coburg, [BMWSB].