Cologne | The debate about the expansion of 1. FC Köln in the outer green belt flares up again. On the one hand because the fresh food center in Cologne-Marsdorf needs more space if it should come about, on the other hand because the new CDU chairman Karl Alexander Mandl first commented on the subject and Franz Philippi from the SPD teased. Now Roland Schüler from the “Belvedere Landscape Park – Friends and Supporters’ Group for the Completion of the Outer Green Belt” commented on the debate and added a few noteworthy aspects.
report-K has already summarized the previous debate:
Roland Schüler points out that numerous citizens of Cologne still reject the project “Extension of the RheinEnergieSportpark in Cologne-Sülz”. Including associations and initiatives. What Pupil is saying is that opposition to the project is alive and could be stubborn. Another aspect is that although the Higher Administrative Court for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia declared the development plan drawn up by the city and approved with the votes of the CDU, SPD and FDP before the local elections to be void, 1. FC Köln opposed the non-admission of the revision Appeal to the Federal Administrative Court.
At least four years until a new development plan would be legally secure
But what do these procedures and court decisions mean. Schüler assumes that the SPD man Philippi is wrong when he claims that a “simple council decision” would now be enough and the excavators could roll into the outer green belt and stomp a new performance center out of the ground for the FC. According to Schüler, since the court overturned the entire development plan, the Cologne City Council would have to initiate a new development plan procedure with public participation. This would in all likelihood take around 2 years. If the council were to decide on this again, legal action can be taken against this new development plan, and here too the time frame should be around 2 years. All in all, that makes 4 years, that would be in the year 2027. In addition, there is still the risk of public participation, which is necessary for the development plan process and from which nobody can say how this would turn out. There are also local elections in 2025. Even in the last local elections, the citizens of Cologne did not reward the parties that voted for the expansion of FC in the outer green belt. This could turn out to be a high political risk for the parties involved in the resumption of the “extension of the RheinEnergieSportpark in Cologne-Sülz”. Not only in terms of the council majorities, because a new mayor will also be elected in 2025. According to the current situation, it can be assumed that the SPD, CDU and Greens could put someone in the running for the office of the first citizen of the city.
The money question
Student also criticizes the statement by SPD man Philippi, who claimed “then FC can finally get started” if the council made a decision. Student asks with what money? According to the students, the association could neither build a performance center in the outer green belt nor in Cologne-Marsdorf with the current level of debt. Student asks: “Is the SPD in Cologne planning a council decision for the city of Cologne to participate financially in the future planning of 1. FC Köln?” The citizens’ groups and initiatives are happy to talk to the SPD about the possibilities for the future of 1. FC Köln in the city of Cologne.”
The debate about the “extension of the RheinEnergieSportpark in Cologne-Sülz” should not be over yet.
ag
2023-05-23 18:54:39
#Debate #expansion #green #belt #money #ReportK
