Construction & Urban Development

Urban development planning steers and coordinates the city’s overall spatial, economic and social development. It is a process characterised by constant updating and feedback, and requires an interdisciplinary, integrated and forward-looking approach. Urban development faces new challenges arising from social trends and framework conditions, such as demographic change, globalisation, the embedding of sustainability and climate protection at local level, new participatory structures and financial difficulties faced by the public sector. In 2007, the town of Eberswalde redefined the strategic and integrated basis for future urban development through a wide-ranging planning and participation process.

The integrated urban development concept forms the basis for the ongoing urban regeneration and design process. In March 2008, the City Council adopted the integrated urban development concept ‘Strategy Eberswalde 2020’. The ongoing monitoring of urban development processes also requires adjustments and updates to urban development strategies. In 2014, the City Council adopted the new urban development strategy with a planning horizon of 2030.

The urban development concept sets out guiding principles, strategies and key measures for various thematic areas, such as housing, employment, social infrastructure, transport and economic development, and thus offers the opportunity to counteract foreseeable negative trends whilst simultaneously promoting potential in a sustainable manner for the city’s long-term development. In addition to city-wide and long-term urban development planning, planning considerations are also carried out at sub-regional levels and within sectoral planning frameworks. These include, for example, neighbourhood development concepts for Finow and the Brandenburgische Viertel, integrated transport development planning, and the retail and town centre concept. Urban planning instruments, such as the land-use plan and the development plans, form the basis for the urbanistically structured implementation of the previously developed action strategies.

Urban regeneration programmes can be applied in a targeted manner to provide solution-oriented remedies for urban, functional and social shortcomings, from which Eberswalde is still not free even 20 years after reunification. Strengthening the city centre and local centres, reducing housing surpluses, achieving infrastructure improvements, revitalising areas affected by population decline, strengthening civic engagement and promoting networks are some of the key areas of focus for urban regeneration programmes, as utilised in Eberswalde.

Climate protection, intergenerational justice, accessibility and demographic change are current issues which, if addressed today and taken into account in all planning, will have a positive impact on the town in all its functions and thus ensure its long-term sustainability. Personal initiative, civic engagement and the networking of activities have become increasingly important in the town of Eberswalde. A sense of belonging to and the quality of life in Eberswalde cannot be imposed – they can only be shaped by the people themselves. Take advantage of the wide range of opportunities to get involved in the planning and implementation processes and to find out more about them.