A completely new urban quarter is to be built between Blankenburg and Heinersdorf.
© dpa
The ground-breaking ceremony for the new Blankenburger Süden urban quarter in Pankow is not scheduled to take place until 2029 - but at least the plans for it are one step closer.
The Berlin Senate has approved the so-called structural and utilization concept for the project in the north-east of Berlin with a total of 8,600 new apartments and space for almost 20,000 people. This was subsequently announced by Building Senator Christian Gaebler (SPD).
Gaebler said that the new urban quarter between Blankenburg and Heinersdorf is currently the largest contiguous housing construction project in Berlin. The new apartments are to be built on an area east of Französisch Buchholz and west of Malchow. Among other things, daycare centers, five new school locations from elementary school to high school, commercial space, a new streetcar depot and areas for sports and recreation are planned on an area of 160 hectares.
There will also be a district center with shopping facilities. In contrast to previous plans, there will not be one coherent residential area in the new urban quarter, but three focal points, two with around 4,000 apartments each. Among others, state-owned housing companies are to participate in the project. It is obvious that the project is not about detached houses. Gaebler pointed out that seven, eight or ten-storey buildings are also to be built.
A project of this magnitude is also a challenge in terms of transport planning: it is clear that the existing transport infrastructure is not sufficient, said State Secretary for Transport Johannes Wieczorek, especially as there are already problems connecting the region. Among other things, new roads and cycle paths are therefore to be built. The aim is for 80 percent of traffic to be accounted for by environmentally friendly mobility. There are also plans to extend the M2 streetcar line into the new urban quarter. The new route is to be 3.3 kilometers long, the number of stops is still open, according to the State Secretary. The utilization concept also takes into account the possible extension of the U9 to the south of Blankenburg.
In March, the Senate already approved the framework plan for the urban development of a new residential quarter at the former Köpenick goods station with 1,500 apartments and also the draft development plan for the urban quarter Neue Mitte Tempelhof with 500 apartments.