Approval of the expansion of the southern university campus

The aim is to strengthen the Faculty of Engineering at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) and create additional space for research and teaching in order to further expand research capacities. The scope of the plan covers a total of 5.11 hectares, including the eastern edge of Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße.

In previous years, FAU has drawn up a development concept for the entire southern campus of the university as part of the "Masterplan Südgelände", which the city council approved back in 2022. In addition to the densification of the already built-up area, additional expansion areas are urgently needed.
Modern research facilities such as laboratories, workshops and offices as well as the North Bavarian High Performance Computing Center and other institute-related facilities are planned for these expansion areas. The creation of new building rights is intended to enable an orderly urban expansion of the Faculty of Engineering. In addition, the area will be made accessible through the construction of a footpath along Nikolaus-Fiebiger-Straße. The path connections to the Reichwald forest to the east will be maintained.

The environmental and climate impacts were examined as part of the development plan and offset by extensive measures, such as replacement reforestation and the creation of replacement habitats for endangered animal species. The future building plots were optimized with the help of a climate ecology report in order to reduce negative effects on the climate. Neither the wooded banks of the Röthelheimgraben to the north nor the protected lichen-pine forest to the south will be encroached upon.

In order to draw up the development plan, it is first necessary to remove the area from the landscape protection ordinance. Parallel to the development plan, the land use plan must also be amended, in which the plan area is currently shown as a forest area and will be designated as a special university development area in future. The corresponding draft resolutions were approved at the same meeting.
Following approval, the plan documents will be published for citizens and the authorities will be involved in the fall of 2024