The resistance was worth it

• fromAnnette Schlegl

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  shut down

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Residents of the historic doctor’s house in Rodgau-Dudenhofen have protested against the planned overbuilding – and are now successful.

For a year and a half, residents moved to a planned residential complex at the historic doctor’s house in the Dudenhofen district of Rodgau, founded a community of interests, collected signatures, and looked for a legal adviser. In her eyes, the new building at Nieuwpoorter Straße 130, which is supposed to enclose the former residential building of the local doctor in a U-shape, was oversized, especially too high, but also too massive. Their struggle was worth it: On Monday, the city councilors will pass an amendment at their meeting, which instead of three and a half would only allow two and a half storeys.

The four-way cooperation between the SPD, the Greens, the FDP and free voters unanimously agreed with the CDU in the main and finance committee meeting on Tuesday evening on a joint amendment, which provides for the slimmed-down number of storeys for the doctorate building project. The proposal will therefore find a large majority in the city parliament on Monday.

A few days ago, things looked very different: eleven written statements had been received on the project, but the consideration that the city of Rodgau had published on the construction project had hardly dealt with the diverse objections and suggestions of the citizens. The municipal authority’s resolution only took into account the wish to renovate the historic doctor’s house within 24 months before the U-shaped new building is started.

“The course has now been set very clearly in our favor,” says Isabel Friedrich, spokeswoman for the interest group (IG) Doktorhaus. One is happy about this accommodation and at the same time is excited to see what the construction will look like. “We hope that one floor less means less than 1.50 meters less height,” said Friedrich. The building block with its three and a half storeys was originally supposed to be 13.30 meters high – although Dudenhofen is characterized by a two-storey construction. Only one neighboring building is higher, but was “exceptionally approved years ago because social housing was quickly needed”.

A 50-meter-wide, contiguous building is still planned, says Friedrich. The IG therefore welcomes the fact that the investor Erba Bau- und Immobilien GmbH could also dissolve the residential complex in individual buildings. First, the development plan is changed, then it goes back to the open position.

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