Policy paper on safeguarding the quality of urban development in Radebeul
Radebeul is known for its high architectural value and, partly as a result of this, has a high quality of life and quality of stay. However, this is not only due to individual buildings, individual street and property structures, individual nationally recognised sights or individual special landscape features. Rather, it is the totality, the interaction of all these urban building blocks that make Radebeul the place of high quality of life that we know today and from which we ALL benefit.
Cities are not rigid. They are subject to a continuous process of development and change, which is also of great importance for their successful continued existence. This makes it all the more important to recognise the qualities of a place, to develop them carefully and to allow new things to happen. This is not a new realisation, but has already led in a positive sense to the historic townscape of Radebeul, which is so popular today and is characterised by its diversity.
Rising land prices, public debates on housing construction and housing pressure, changing planning instruments and legal bases for the promotion and simplification of housing construction must not lead to quality being played off against quantity. In the coming years, the aim must be to extend the building culture standard to the entire urban area. Maintaining the cityscape means raising the awareness of all those involved in future construction projects for their great responsibility in helping to shape Radebeul. Each project not only shapes a single property, but is a building block in the overall urban context and will help to characterise it for decades or even centuries. Both positively and negatively. In short, everyone who builds in Radebeul also builds a piece of Radebeul, benefits from Radebeul (valuable property, high quality of life) and therefore also has a responsibility to the city as a whole. But the same applies: anyone who sells a property in Radebeul also sells a piece of Radebeul, benefits from Radebeul (high sales prices due to the good reputation and the existing architectural quality in Radebeul) and therefore also has a responsibility for the development of the city as a whole.
The particular historical development of Radebeul, which played a decisive role in the cityscape that characterises it today, also means that rigid urban land-use planning can only be applied to a very limited extent. A development plan on a "greenfield site", which creates new building rights, may be able to regulate many things. However, recent criticism has been directed at projects that have been realised or are in the process of being realised, which were within the scope of existing building law and could hardly be influenced by a development plan.
With the urban development guidelines, however, we would like to take up the lively discussions about building culture in Radebeul and try to establish a new approach and make formal urban land-use planning a "second step" instrument.
The aim of the urban development guidelines is to anchor the topic of quality in urban development and the associated responsibility more firmly in the consciousness of all those involved in building and to highlight professional positions and certain standards that can be implemented under building law, thus focusing on a goal-oriented dialogue in the "first step". We will only be successful if there is a certain basic understanding of quality in urban development and the town of Radebeul among those involved. The aim is to demand a certain level of design quality and an acceptable level of density without overstepping legal boundaries.
If no legally binding urban land-use planning exists for a project site, the following urban development guidelines must be examined in addition to the requirements of Section 34 BauGB (no general validity, examination of the specific property) and the parties involved in the construction must be advised and sensitised accordingly:
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© Stadtverwaltung Radebeul
- Green structures worthy of preservation (green structures characterising the public space in private front garden areas, large green areas, etc.) must be given priority and preserved.
- The new construction of flats and ancillary facilities and the associated land take must be compatible with the preservation of the valuable open spaces within the respective property.
valuable open spaces within the respective property; priority should be given to the characterising green structure.
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© Stadtverwaltung Radebeul
- The opening of a second or third row of flats is not a development objective and is critically scrutinised.
- The ratio of sealed and unsealed plot area must be balanced and orientated towards the immediate surroundings.
- The number of flats must take into account the effects on building density, sealing, the number of ancillary facilities and stationary and moving traffic and must also fit in with the immediate surroundings
- The characteristic building structure is a roadside development with subordinate ancillary facilities at the rear of the property
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© Stadtverwaltung Radebeul
- "Outliers" in the surrounding urban space do not form the benchmark for the degree of building utilisation. Floor area, eaves and ridge heights or building heights including roof space or staggered storeys must be orientated towards the characteristic "building majority". Existing street alignments must be included.
- The construction method and the buildable plot area must also be orientated towards the surrounding existing buildings.
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© Stadtverwaltung Radebeul
- The façade and building design should be developed in consideration of the immediate surroundings and in harmony with the value of the neighbouring urban space.
- Quality in urban development does not mean foregoing economical solutions. Well-proportioned façades and structuring elements promote acceptance. Additional costs for higher-quality façade materials are often relativised by longer durability and often lower maintenance costs. These options should be examined and discussed for suitable properties.
- Balconies are important components of residential units, especially in apartment blocks. However, they should be integrated into the overall design as a subordinate component and not appear like a subsequently added foreign body and fit in with the proportions of the building.
The aim is to find a satisfactory and, above all, joint solution with applicants. The urban development guidelines are not intended to prevent "new building", but rather to inspire building culture and ensure a certain level of urban development quality. If a dialogue with the parties involved is not possible and purely economic interests stand in the way of orderly urban development in Radebeul, the need for urban land-use planning will be examined in a second step and action will be taken accordingly if there is a need for planning.