Urban redevelopment and urban development Sonnenberg

The district of Chemnitz Sonnenberg has been an assisted area in the federal and state urban development programmes since 1991 and is also a designated redevelopment area in accordance with Section 142 of the German Building Code. With the instruments of the redevelopment law in the building code and with the help of urban development funding and many public and private investments, urban development deficiencies are being eliminated by controlling the city on Sonnenberg. In this way, the challenges posed by demographic change, climate change, loss of urban development functions, etc. can be better overcome.

In this way, Sonnenberg is developing sustainably into an attractive inner-city residential neighbourhood with a valuable building stock from the Wilhelminian era, in which it is possible to live and work in a variety of ways. The measures take account of the existing social structure. Sonnenberg has a young population with many families and a wide range of flats with very affordable rents. Creative people and students are increasingly interested in the neighbourhood.

The Sonnenberg was and is part of various development areas in different programmes. Urban development funding generally consists of one third each from the federal government, the Free State of Saxony and the City of Chemnitz. One euro of funding demonstrably results in 7 to 12 euros of follow-up investment, meaning that urban development funding is also a successful programme for the economy and urban yields in cities. Owners in redevelopment areas can also take advantage of tax write-offs during refurbishment.

By 2020, a total of €52 million in urban development funding had been utilised in Sonnenberg.

Since 2012, Sonnenberg has been part of the "Stadtumbau Ost Chemnitz" urban redevelopment area. The Chemnitz urban redevelopment area was transferred to the current "Growth and sustainable renewal" programme in 2020. Sonnenberg is to receive a further €15 million in funding from this programme until 2031, provided that the federal, state and city governments make the funds available. The redevelopment area will also remain in place until then.

In addition, 17 properties were sustainably secured with €3.3 million in urban development funding. In return, owners receive up to 100% subsidies for buildings in danger of collapse and desolate buildings. Many of the properties are listed buildings, were saved from demolition and in some cases have already been completely renovated.

In the last three years, for example, the renovation of Lessingstraße and the design of Albertipark on Fürstenstaße/Zietenstraße have been realised with €7 million in funding.

In the neighbourhoods on southern Zietenstrasse, private owners have received €4.6 million in pro rata subsidies for the refurbishment of 29 buildings since 2010. The area is still characterised by a high vacancy rate and continues to be a funding priority. Investor interest has been increasing since then, thanks in part to the refurbishment of the municipal housing company's portfolio, which has set a good example along with several other owners. The city has drawn attention to the neighbourhood through its management of old buildings and property forums and has greened the Zietenstraße street.

The urban redevelopment in the area of the prefabricated buildings on the southern Sonnenberg was a model urban development project with the Free State of Saxony from 2010-2016 with almost €11 million in urban development funding and additional funds from the demolition programme. The high vacancy rate was significantly reduced by partially demolishing the upper floors and modernising the remaining stock. The modern flats are now in high demand.

Thanks to the extensive provision of urban development funding over the past 30 years, it has been possible to initiate the development of Sonnenberg into a sustainable, urban and liveable neighbourhood. In addition to urban development funding, programmes for integrated sustainable urban development from the EU structural funds ERDF and ESF are also being used on the Sonnenberg.

Neighbourhood development on the Sonnenberg is to continue to be supported with urban development funding and EU funds until 2031. A wide range of investments and support for private and non-profit initiatives are also planned for the coming years. Over the next few years, the focus will include the renovation of Martinstrasse as a route to the new primary school, the development of the "Stadtwirtschaft" as a creative courtyard and intervention area for the Capital of Culture and the renovation of the old foundry at Gießerstraße 5 into an academy for artistic and technical research. Lessingplatz will be redesigned by citizens' projects on the way to becoming the European Capital of Culture by 2025. The "Sonnenberger Promenade" concept between the Colourful Gardens in the south and the Zeisigwald forest in the north is to be implemented from 2024. This will include the redesign of Karree 72 with community gardens near the CFC football stadium from 2021.

The urban planning office is supported in the development of Sonnenberg by a redevelopment agency and works closely with the Sonnenberg district management (supported by urban development funding) and the creative industries district management (supported by ERDF funding).

General plan

Redevelopment agency of the City of Chemnitz

Westsächsische Gesellschaft für Stadterneuerung (WGS)
Weststraße 49
09112 Chemnitz

Maria Weißenfels
m.weissenfels(at)wgs-sachsen.de
Telephone: 0371 3 55 70 13

or at the city planning office to

Nora Enderwitz
nora.enderwitz(at)stadt-chemnitz.de
Phone: 0371 488-6074