The Itzehoe region would like to expand and deepen the previously quantitatively oriented coordination of residential development to include quality aspects.
The municipalities in the Itzehoe region have been working closely together on quantitative housing development since 2002 and agreed on a joint housing agreement even then. In recent years, against the background of demand for living space on the one hand and changing demands on the living environment due to demographic and social developments on the other, questions about qualitative residential space development have increasingly come to the fore.
The Itzehoe region is therefore striving for even closer inter-municipal cooperation in the area of housing development in order to be able to meet the need for and desire for special forms of housing – barrier-free housing, affordable housing, smaller housing in multi-story residential buildings, etc. In order to achieve this, on the one hand, the key players in the region are to be made aware of this issue and, on the other hand, joint approaches to solving the lack of land availability are to be found. In addition to the demographic trends in society as a whole, foreseeable developments specific to the region, such as the large-scale expansion of the Itzehoe innovation area, a possible northern bypass around Itzehoe, the accession of the Steinburg district to the HVV public transport system, and the expansion of the A20 motorway in the district, are to be taken into account.
Funding projects
In order to create the basis for a new housing agreement for the Itzehoe region by 2030, an inter-municipal housing development concept is being developed. For the first time, the experts determine the potential new areas and inner development areas of all member municipalities on the basis of uniform criteria and evaluate their chances of realization. The central result of the concept is a new housing agreement for the Itzehoe region until 2030, which takes into account the need for housing units identified by the state planning department. This project is supported by AktivRegion Steinburg and on the initiative of the Ministry of the Interior, Rural Areas, Integration and Equality of the State of Schleswig-Holstein with funds from the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
In addition, the Itzehoe region is a sub-project in the Hamburg metropolitan region’s lead project “Housing in the Hamburg metropolitan region – meeting needs, sustainable, designing together”. Under this umbrella, a total of 9 model sub-projects from all states of the metropolitan region are gathered, which take up many of the known problems and issues – e.g. inter-municipal housing development; grievance management due to housing vacancy and building dilapidation; housing market monitoring; control of vacation use; development of need-based and affordable housing – and seek model solutions. The Hamburg Metropolitan Region is making the entire project possible by providing financial support of around 1 million euros.
The sub-project of the Itzehoe region is mainly concerned with aspects of monitoring, mobilization of potential areas and raising awareness of politics, administration and the public for housing issues.
Based on the preceding inter-municipally coordinated spatial housing development concept for the entire region, instruments of a regional housing market monitoring are examined. For this purpose, a GIS-based residential development map is being built. Regional land management is being implemented to activate the identified potential sites for residential development. The subproject thus points the way from purely quantitative monitoring to qualitative approaches to potential mobilization.
For the mobilization of potential areas, the question of the appropriate development and housing form plays an important role in order to align the residential development with the needs of future residents. An important basis for this will be an expert opinion on special forms of housing. This examines where and under what conditions special forms of housing can be implemented even in smaller rural communities. In addition to special forms of housing for the classic target group of senior citizens, young people (trainees, interns) and people with low incomes are also targeted.
The overall project is accompanied by a dialog process that is intended to establish a continuous exchange on the topic of housing within politics and administration as well as with the interested public and key stakeholders. Questions such as social responsibility in housing construction, instruments for monitoring the housing market, energy-efficient construction, new forms of housing such as Tiny Houses, or the reconciliation of land-saving goals on the one hand and the provision of housing on the other will be brought into focus and illuminated.
The Itzehoe region will receive a total of around 134,000 euros for these project modules from the Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein development fund of the Hamburg metropolitan region.
Further subprojects of the lead project
- Municipality of Malente & Holstein Switzerland Region
- Heath region
- Hamburg & closer surrounding area
- City of Cuxhaven
- Cities network A14
- Dannenberg (Elbe) and Hitzacker (Elbe)
- Medium-sized center Reinbek, Glinde, Wentorf
- North Khedingen
On the lead project of the Hamburg metropolitan region
Commercial space development concept for the Itzehoe region 2018
The inter-communal project “Commercial space development concept for the Itzehoe region” is an outstanding example of good inter-communal cooperation. The aim is to designate commercial areas to enable companies to relocate to and from the region and to maintain and strengthen the region’s economic power. The concept developed by CIMA in 2017-2018 identified a need for approximately 69 ha by 2030.
Among other things, the experts come to the conclusion that, in addition to the “classic” industry, the consideration of so-called “special developments” will play an important role. This is intended in particular to satisfy the expected demand for space from companies in the industries of the future, which essentially belong to automation technology and energy and environmental technology. Already today, more than 50 companies with more than 1,400 jobs are at home at the technology site in Itzehoe-Nord, contributing significantly to the prosperity of the Itzehoe region.
- Concept
- Economic development of the city of Itzehoe
- egw:wirtschaftsförderung Development Company Westholstein
- Commercial space information system of the Hamburg metropolitan region
Support of the Steinburg evening market
With the financial support of the Steinburg Evening Market, the Itzehoe region would like to contribute to (re)revitalizing Itzehoe’s city center after the challenging times, to strengthen the center for people from the entire Itzehoe region and to provide it with new appeal. Artists, musicians, creatives and high-class regional manufactures and traders create a market experience with a sustainable focus at the foot of St. Laurentii.
Every 1st Thursday of the month from July to October from 4:30 p.m., you can visit the Steinburg Evening Market in downtown Itzeho. The Itzehoe region and the city management of the city of Itzehoe are looking forward to your coming!
New weather shelter at the Bismarck Column ceremonially inaugurated
Itzehoe region provided impetus to expand leisure infrastructures in the region
For a few days now no one is left standing in the rain: A new shelter for hikers was ceremoniously completed and inaugurated on September 12, 2022 at the Bismarck Column in the city forest of Itzehoe. As part of an inter-municipal survey of the member municipalities of the Itzehoe region last year, it was determined that there was a particular need in the area of improving recreational infrastructure (e.g. hiking signs, shelters or benches). Dr. Koeppen, former chairman of the Itzehoe region, had promoted the strengthening and optimization of recreational infrastructure measures. Due to the support of the LAG AktivRegion Steinburg e.V. it was now possible to subsidize a shelter at the Bismarck Column with a funding quota of 80% within the framework of the regional budget support of small(est) projects. Mr. Hoppe, chairman of the Itzehoe region, thanked above all the hiking club for its great commitment to this joint project.
And even more projects have already been implemented or are in the planning stage: The six circular hiking trails that run through Itzehoe and the surrounding area were digitally entered on the Komoot route planner app last year by the Steinburg District Hiking Association. Large overview signs for the starting points of the circular hiking trails are currently in the works.
Starting this fall, it will again be possible to submit ideas for small(est) projects with gross costs of less than 20,000 euros to the office of AktivRegion Steinburg as part of the regional budget funding(www.leader-steinburg.de).
The LAG AktivRegion Steinburg e.V. is one of 22 AktivRegions in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. The AktivRegion’s area comprises the districts and towns of the Steinburg district with the exception of the Kellinghusen district and extends to the outskirts of the Hamburg metropolitan region.
Photo: Björn Dethlefs
