Housing construction in Berlin is set to become easier. (File photo)
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In Berlin, the goal is to make building apartments easier, cheaper and faster.
In response, the Senate passed a so-called "Simple Construction Act," which, among other things, calls for a lowering of building standards and streamlined permitting procedures.
The so-called Omnibus Act amends several existing laws and other regulations. According to Senator for Urban Development Christian Gaebler (SPD), it is expected to be passed by the House of Representatives before the summer recess. The law includes, for example, amendments to the building code to facilitate the conversion of existing buildings into residential use. Legal requirements regarding fire safety and sound insulation, for instance, are being relaxed, as is the minimum ceiling height in attic spaces. The requirement to provide storage rooms in new apartments is being eliminated.
As part of building permit procedures, certain deadlines are being shortened to speed up the process. The amendment to the Historic Preservation Act is also intended to streamline the process: in the future, historic preservation authorities will be required to identify measures for which, in their view, a separate permit is no longer necessary. Gaebler emphasized that the Senate aims to make housing construction faster, more efficient and more cost-effective with this package. "Together with the Faster Construction Act, which took effect at the end of 2024, we are thus improving the framework conditions for construction projects." The "Faster Construction Act" already included dozens of measures to accelerate the preparation and implementation of projects. For example, planning and approval procedures were streamlined and standardized, review and processing deadlines were introduced, and responsibilities between the state and districts were more clearly defined.