Breitehorn: Over 400 votes received for Spandau's future!

Breitehorn: Over 400 votes received for Spandau's future!

The Spandau district office has completed public participation in the feasibility study on the Breitehorn. By the end of August 2025, more than 400 responses from citizens had been received. This feedback will be evaluated by the district's specialist offices, and a comprehensive overview of the results should be available by the end of October 2025. Based on this information, an implementation roadmap will then be created for the entire Breitehorn area. The feedback and the feasibility study form the essential basis for planning.

The area covers around 13 football fields and there is currently no final decision on long-term use. The district office is planning to coordinate directly with the affected clubs for the three weekend settlements. In addition, City Councilor for Construction Thorsten Schatz emphasizes that there will be no predetermined measures for the weekend clubs. All contractual obligations should be discussed in a process with the affected clubs. A timeline outlining next steps is also provided.

Participation and transparency as central elements

Public participation has a long tradition in urban development and is a mandatory element in urban development planning. This participation makes it possible to integrate specific knowledge of those affected, to record their wishes and needs and thus promotes transparency, which is crucial for the acceptance of decisions. It also allows decisions to be legitimized democratically and is important for environmental impact assessments in order to identify possible environmental impacts at an early stage (toolbox-umweltrechtigkeit.de).

The Spandau district office was accused of refusing to inspect the Breitehorn purchase contract because information on the purchase price and discount amount was considered business secrets. The purchase price for the area amounts to 3,827,000 euros, while the discount amount is 350,000 euros. This raises the question of whether this amount could actually represent significant financial damage to the district. City councilor Schatz explained that without timely renaturation measures there would be a risk of significant damage (openpetition.de).

In addition, citizens are demanding more transparency. A petition calls for more public engagement and comments to be sent to the district by August 29, 2025. The possibility of adjusting the reduction amount and stopping the demolition project is discussed.

In summary, it can be said that the coming months will be crucial for the development of the Breitehorn area. The results of public participation and the initial planning could have far-reaching consequences for the clubs affected and the use of the area.