Münster (dpa / lnw) – The Bundesliga soccer club 1. FC Köln is not allowed to extend its training grounds to the green belt in Cologne for the time being. This was decided by the Higher Administrative Court for the state of North Rhine-Westphalia on Thursday. The OVG overturned the necessary development plan of the city of Cologne due to procedural defects. In its decision, the 7th Senate pointed out that the errors can be rectified with the help of a supplementary planning process.
A citizens’ initiative and the Nabu nature conservation association had sued against the plan from 2020. The verdict is not yet legally binding. The OVG did not allow the revision. Complaints can be lodged with the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig. (Ref.: 7 D 277/20.NE and 7 D 2/21.NE).
In addition to expanding the training grounds in the vicinity of the Geißbockheim clubhouse, the city also included the construction of small pitches for the public in its planning. This should increase acceptance of planning in politics after the court has accepted it.
The Cologne green belt is considered an important local recreation area for the population. However, the 7th Senate sees a problem with the small pitches in public green spaces. Such structural measures in the green belt are only permissible to a limited extent. However, the city has planned fully sealed sports areas on the designated area. According to the court, this planning error leads to the end of the entire plan.
