Weimar (dpa/th) – According to the state administration office, land use plans to define residential areas and commercial areas are not the rule in Thuringia. Only a fifth of the 631 municipalities have a land use plan covering the entire municipal area, as the authority in Weimar announced on Tuesday. In addition to the 119 municipalities with such a plan, a further 77 had at least partial plans. In 70 percent of the municipalities there are currently no land use plans, especially in smaller towns with up to 5000 inhabitants.
Land use plans are an important element for setting the course for urban planning. Here, for example, it is determined where residential areas, retail areas, schools, kindergartens, sports facilities, parks or hospitals can find space. Concrete construction projects can then be planned on this basis.
According to the state administration office, municipalities are obliged to draw up a land use plan for their entire area in accordance with the specifications of the building code. In view of the increasing challenges for urban development, for example because of climate protection, and the expansion of renewable energies, such plans are urgently needed, it said. The State Administration Office is responsible for approving the land use plans.
