After more than a decade of intensive planning and coordination, the Cologne City Council approved Zoning Plan No. 69472/01 for the Lindgens site in Cologne-Mülheim on February 13, 2025. The wvm Group plans to begin construction of the first 108 apartments later this year, 40 of which are designated as publicly subsidized housing.
The Lindgens site, which spans approximately 5.2 hectares and is located between Deutz-Mülheimer Straße and Rheinboulevard, is set to be developed into an urban neighborhood in the long term. However, the current focus is on completing the first residential construction projects to meet Cologne’s urgent need for housing.
Erika Werres, Managing Director of the wvm Group, commented: “The fact that we have finally received the building permit after more than 11 years is a significant step. However, this long period also highlights how urgently we need more efficient planning and approval processes to combat the housing shortage in cities like Cologne.”
Zoning Plan No. 69472/01 went through several phases of public participation and public review, most recently from November 30, 2023, to January 12, 2024. During this period, citizens and public interest groups were able to submit comments, which were incorporated into the planning process.
“The protracted coordination processes have shown that, despite political commitments to promoting housing, reality is often shaped by bureaucratic hurdles. A joint effort by policymakers, government agencies, and investors is needed to accelerate such processes and make them more effective,” says Wolfgang von Moers, managing partner of the wvm Group.
The wvm Group views the development of the Lindgens site not only as a solution to the housing shortage but also as a contribution to sustainable urban development in Cologne-Mülheim.
