Housing Acceleration in Dresden: How the City Implements the Bauturbo Law

Housing Acceleration in Dresden: Implementation in March 2026

The housing shortage in German cities has gained increasing significance in recent years. Dresden, as one of the largest cities in Saxony, is no exception. In March 2026, the city took a decisive step by implementing the Bauturbo Act (Law on Accelerating Housing Construction and Securing Living Space) to speed up housing construction. The new regulation, based on § 36 a BauGB and § 246 e BauGB, is temporary and valid until 2030, bringing far-reaching changes for Dresden.

Redistribution of Approval Competencies

A central innovation is the delegation of approval competencies under § 36 a BauGB. The Mayor now has the authority to approve projects utilizing up to 1 hectare of land outside the 26er Ring. Within the 26er Ring, approval remains the responsibility of the City Council.

For projects with a living area of more than 2,400 m², approval is possible under certain conditions. These include the application of the Cooperative Land Development Model and a construction start within three years after the building permit. This regulation aims to reduce pressure on local districts while ensuring sustainable development.

Simplified Procedure for Small Projects

Projects utilizing less than 1 hectare of land can now be decided on by the Committee for Urban Development, Construction, Transport, and Real Estate. This committee can make decisions in a single reading, which accelerates the process. Decision-making authority is thus more strongly delegated to the specialist departments, which increases efficiency but also leads to criticism from local districts who feel less involved.

Involvement of Local Districts and Resistance

Local districts and municipalities are included in the decision-making process. They receive information about ongoing Bauturbo projects in their area and can submit comments. In practice, this means that municipal councils, such as in Mobschatz or Pieschen, discuss Bauturbo projects in meetings and provide feedback.

Despite this inclusion, there have been cases of rejection. For example, supplementary motions by the B90 Greens in Mobschatz were rejected, showing that the implementation of the Bauturbo Act is not without controversy. Critics fear that the new regulations could lead to overburdening of local districts or that citizen participation in the process is insufficient.

Outlook: What's Next?

The implementation of the Bauturbo Act in Dresden is a dynamic process that will continue to evolve in the coming years. The temporary validity until 2030 provides room for evaluation and adjustment. What will be crucial is whether the new regulations actually lead to acceleration without endangering the quality of urban development.

The city must also ensure that citizen participation does not only take place at the district level, but also remains transparent to the public. The experiences with implementation in Dresden could serve as a model for other cities – provided the balance between efficiency, sustainability, and participation is successfully maintained.