Pleißenbach green corridor construction project begins

At its meeting today, the city council approved the realisation of four of the six construction phases on the Pleißenbach green corridor. As part of "Stadt am Fluss", the overall project is an important intervention area for Chemnitz as European Capital of Culture 2025.

The site of the former Altendorf goods station between Beyerstrasse and Rudolf-Krahl-Strasse is currently characterised by fallow land, succession and an ecologically disadvantaged, heavily built-up natural area. Now, following the withdrawal of the railway, there is an opportunity to create a new part of the city with open spaces for public use as well as additional areas for housing, community use and commerce, including flood protection.

In the construction decision, the realisation of the following sections was initiated:

• Section west of Rudolf-Krahl-Straße (industrial wasteland): As part of the watercourse planning, the Pleißenbach is to be widened in the first construction phase at the level of the brownfield site and an old pond, side arms are to be formed and the millrace arriving to the north is to be opened up. The tree population in the western area forms the basic structure of the new facility alongside the newly created stream and will be largely preserved. Natural stone blocks will provide seating near the future cycle path. The central open meadow area on both sides of the Mühlgraben will be further developed and strengthened as a fresh location with tall herbaceous vegetation. On Rudolf-Krahl-Straße, the trees outside the watercourse construction area will be preserved and a tall herbaceous meadow will also be established at the foot of the embankment to the Pleißenbach stream.
  
• Section from Rudolf-Krahl-Straße to the former Erzberger Straße: The new central green corridor covers an area of almost 2.4 hectares and, in addition to the design centrepiece - the promenade with playground and recreational areas - will in future include key landscape elements as well as path connections with rest areas to open up the park and connect the neighbouring districts. In addition, the new Wüstenbrand - Küchwald cycle path will be integrated into the new Pleißenbachgrünzug park. The character of the former railway line is to be preserved. Extensively used, meadow-like and self-developing areas are to be further developed using native, site-appropriate seeds and plants. Historic railway relics (buffer stops, set rails, kilometre stones, masts, etc.) will be preserved along the entire former railway line, restored where necessary and integrated into the green corridor.
  
• Cycle path: With the acquisition of the former Küchwald-Wüstenbrand railway line in 2018, the city of Chemnitz is taking the opportunity to connect the western suburban areas and Chemnitz city centre via a premium cycle path around 13.5 km long. Today's decision involves a 1.04 km long section, with a section of the cycle path already under construction to the west on Rudolf-Krahl-Straße.
  
• Compensation area: The area of around 1.3 hectares with commercial surroundings is located around 1.5 kilometres from the planning area in Rottluff. The development of the compensation area results from the development plan as a measure for compensation (in the sense of 1a para. 3 BauGB). Early species protection measures for the garden warbler species are to be implemented here. This area is to be upgraded by planting approx. 500 metres of new large shrubs and extensive maintenance of the remaining area.
  

An urban development framework plan was adopted in 2016, which envisaged the creation of a public park with stream renaturalisation and cycle paths as a development goal and which is now being implemented step by step.

This year, the approval procedures for the sub-measures/construction phases will take place, the implementation plans will be drawn up and funding will be applied for. All stakeholders will continue to be closely involved in the planning process. The citizens' platform and the public will be involved in order to represent all interests as adequately as possible.