From the large parking lot to the Regnitzstadt

Back in summer 2015, the Environment, Transport and Planning Committee (UVPA for short) adopted initial, fundamental objectives for the development of the large parking lot. A competition to develop the district was launched by the city of Erlangen in 2020. The Dortmund planning office scheuvens + wachten plus was commissioned to draw up the urban development framework plan in summer 2021. This was decided by the Erlangen City Council . The project objectives were summarized and approved by the city council in June 2023.

The urban development framework plan will be developed up to and including 2024. It forms the basis for further planning.

On 25.07.2023, the preliminary draft including the explanatory report was submitted to the UVPA as a communication for information. The more detailed draft of the outline plan will then be drawn up. Outline planning serves as an informal instrument for preparing urban land-use planning.

An ideas and realization competition in 2020 was followed by the award procedure and in 2021 the Dortmund office scheuvens + wachten plus was commissioned with the framework planning.

Outline planning is an informal instrument of urban development and serves to develop an urban design. This forms the basis for subsequent urban land-use planning. During the framework planning for the Regnitzstadt, numerous coordination processes and public information are carried out.

The current status of the framework planning, was presented to the UVPA on 25.07.2023.

The objectives were adopted by the city council in the project definition on June 29, 2023:

• Creation of a striking entrance to the city on the "Erlangen scale"
• Vibrant, mixed-use quarter
• Affordable living space and social mix
• Promoting neighborhood and social interaction
• Blue and green infrastructure for climate adaptation
• Integrated, energy-efficient neighborhood concept
• Overcoming existing barriers
• Upgrading the mobility hub
• Maintaining its function as a central parking facility
• Intelligent solutions for managing traffic noise
• Transparent planning processes and participation opportunities

Detailed objectives for the Regnitzstadt can be found in "Annex 2 - Project objectives" in the resolution passed by the City Council at its meeting on 29.06.2023 .

With a project of this size and complexity, uncertainties are to be expected. As of today, the following steps can be assumed as a provisional timeline.

The urban development framework plan will be drawn up by the end of 2023/beginning of 2024.

Land acquisition is expected to be completed by mid-2027.

Urban land-use planning and development planning will take place in stages until probably the end of 2029.

Marketing is expected to begin in 2028. The realization of Regnitzstadt with development and building construction is expected to take place in the early 2030s.

With its location close to the train station, the Regnitzstadt is optimally connected to local and long-distance public transport. A stop with a turning loop for the Stadt-Umland-Bahn (StUB) is also planned. With the construction of the StUB, the inner-city bus network will be adapted. A connection point for city and district buses is planned. It will also be possible to change to long-distance buses here.

Cycling is also an important part of the mobility concept. Particularly noteworthy here is the priority cycle route to close the gap between the west and east of Erlangen. Bicycles can be parked in a large bicycle parking garage.

Pedestrian traffic has a high priority. A low-barrier connection to all areas of the mobility hub is guaranteed. The green-blue boulevard is a particularly attractive connection to the northern quarter.

The new quarter is designed to be traffic-calmed with regard to motorized individual traffic. Central parking facilities will be built in the south.

The area is currently used as a large parking lot. This function will also be retained in the future. For this purpose, parking garages are to be built in which there will be more parking spaces than in the current large parking lot.

There will be a transfer point to the free city line. This will provide access to all destinations in the city center.

Further information on the parking facilities can be found at Parking in Erlangen.

The bus platforms will be integrated into the new mobility hub as Regnitzstadt develops. They will probably be located on the first floor of the south-eastern building (see framework plan at the bottom of the page).

Regnitzstadt is located between heavily frequented traffic routes (railroad line and A73 highway). In the course of the framework planning, an orienting acoustic report will be prepared. This is intended to show which acoustic conditions are to be expected and which measures are required to ensure healthy living and working conditions. The report will form the basis for further planning.

Yes, even with the reorganization of the traffic areas, the functions of cab ranks and "kiss-and-ride" (i.e. picking up or dropping off passengers by private vehicles) are still possible.

The public can obtain information about the project on an ongoing basis via the City of Erlangen's website. In addition, public events are offered at important planning milestones. As in the past, the public will be continuously involved and informed in the future. The following dates should be mentioned here:

November 2023: Information event on the framework planning

• A public information event on the status of the framework planning took place on Friday, November 17, 2023.