The 5th Golm Dialogue – A Review

For many years, residents of Golm have been following the changes in the district attentively, open-mindedly and critically. With the increasing densification of built-up areas, the complexity of coordinating individual measures is growing. There is concern that topics that have been discussed for many years could fall off the table and the quality of the place of residence could suffer as a result. For many, it is therefore particularly important to stay in touch about urban development and the quality of their place of residence. Here they want to play an active role – also because despite the beauty of the district, there is already a need for optimization in many places. The state capital of Potsdam is aware of these development issues and enters into dialogue with citizens and researchers and scientists at various points.

The Golm Dialogue – Information forum about the developments in the Potsdam Science Park

In order to create an information forum about the developments in the Potsdam Science Park, Standortmanagement Golm GmbH invites you to the Golm Dialogue at least twice a year. Since the first date in March 2018, four of these meetings have taken place. On January 28 of this year, Hubert Lakenbrink, project manager of ProPotsdam GmbH and Erik Wolfram, head of the urban development department of the state capital of Potsdam, presented current developments and plans for Golm and answered questions from citizens.

Kick-off for the new Technology Campus

In the field north behind the supermarket, the Science Park will be expanded by another 10 hectares. As project manager of ProPotsdam GmbH, Hubert Lakenbrink is managing the development. ProPotsdam GmbH acquired the land of the B-129 for the city in 2017. Now, in the coming months, the plots will be developed, roads planned, electricity and water pipes laid – then it can start. The total costs for the development are calculated at around 12 million euros and are funded within the framework of the GRW-I guideline of the Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy of the State of Brandenburg. The grant notice was handed over to the state capital Potsdam by Minister of Economic Affairs Steinmeier in December.

>> Photo: Presentation of the grant notice for the development of the B-129 on 13.12.2019. In the picture from left to right: Uwe Adler, Member of the Brandenburg State Parliament | Agnes von Matuschka, Managing Director of Standortmanagement Golm GmbH |  Bernd Rubelt, Councillor for Urban Development, Construction, Economy and Environment of the City of Potsdam | Jörg Steinbach, Minister for Economic Affairs, Labour and Energy of the State of Brandenburg | Bert Nicke, Managing Director of ProPotsdam GmbH | Mike Schubert, Lord Mayor of the state capital Potsdam. Photo: © Standortmanagement Golm GmbH, Karen Esser

The prerequisite for the settlement of companies is that the areas are used in accordance with the funding requirements. To this end, the majority of research-related and manufacturing companies must be located. Evaluation criteria for a successful sale include the number of jobs created, the added value for the business location and the projected trade tax income for the city. The creation of communal areas that contribute to the quality of life is also to be taken into account.
However, contrary to the expectations of many citizens, the development plan 129 does not prescribe any concrete design requirements. Some citizens express concern that it could look like any other industrial park. One would like to see a coherent overall concept – e.g. with paths between the buildings that invite you to take a walk even on weekends.

The first building in the new quarter is the new building of the University of Potsdam. The development of the other plots in the Technology Campus will now be carried out in two phases. The inner plots of the Technology Campus will be sold in a two-stage tendering process at market value in the first and second quarters of 2020 – only then will the outer areas be sold from autumn 2020.

In order to increase the attractiveness of the overall picture, the city will carefully examine the concepts and designs of the future bidders. ProPotsdam GmbH is also trying to address some issues in the process of allocating the land together with the city. For example, concepts for collective parking spaces and a neighbourhood garage for cars are part of the planning. In general, they want to prevent the location from being parked up. Smaller gastronomic offerings are also conceivable.

Tight curve, more traffic – solutions are needed

Access to the site is via the junction in Karl-Liebknecht-Straße. With the start of development, residents must expect temporary road closures here. In the future, a simple intersection is to be created here. However, many residents complain about the narrow bend in the road. You have to get off your bike here if a bus comes towards you. Two buses would not even be able to pass each other.

District development in Golm

The Integrated Urban Development Concept INSEK 2035 was already presented at the Golmer Dialog in 2019. In the meantime, we have taken many small steps forward – but where do we actually stand? Erik Wolfram, Head of the Urban Development Department of the City of Potsdam, presents a multi-layered process. The city is working here at the same time in four areas of specialization, which are already experiencing very dynamic development or in which the dynamics will increase in the coming years, according to Wolfram. One of these areas is the districts of Golm-Eiche-Bornim-Bornstedt.

The Potsdam leitmotif of the “city for all” is being taken into account in the planning. The various individual measures from the Golm action plan would be included. Topics such as the social infrastructure, direct pedestrian and cycle path connections between Golm and Eiche, a citizens’ meeting place for Golm, the review of the usability of the Old Village Church or the footpaths and cycle paths along the Kuhforter Damm were therefore not lost, but will be combined accordingly in order to be able to derive concrete actions later.

The Neue Mitte in particular is the focus of interest, but of course it must also offer points of contact with other areas. Proposals from the Golm action plan for a functional centre, which bring together the four parts of the village – the old village centre, the new development area, the university campus and the area of the research institutes – are included in the specification. Initial preliminary considerations are to be presented in March as part of an in-depth workshop. The supply area with gastronomy, medical care and service providers could be extended to the train station. In addition, it is a matter of further interlinking the Potsdam Science Park with the town. In addition, clever integrated transport concepts are to be developed with the development – such as gastronomy on the lower floors, mobility station and car sharing/parking garage on upper levels – in order to achieve optimal use of the space.

Golm Nord study area

For the Golm Nord study area, the objective is an integrated solution – i.e. a mixture of scientific, commercial and residential areas as well as recreational use. For the area, which is currently still designated as a landscape conservation area, it must first be checked whether it can be included in the district development at all. The city is confident that a solution can be developed, but first all requirements must be met, Wolfram said. In general, the question of where free areas must be planned so that settlement areas are supplied with fresh air is also central. To this end, the state capital is working with scientists to develop a city climate map.

With regard to mobility, there are plans to bring the Potsdam tram line from the north to Golm station, which is a long-term perspective plan. The northern connection is initially planned in the B-147 development plan, but at the same time depends heavily on what development is still to come in the area north of B-Plan 129.

North connection

Parts of the Golm citizenry have been dealing with the possibility of a northern connection in Golm for years. They demand the construction of the northern connection. While many see this as a traffic relief for the districts of Golm and Eiche, this connection to the north could also mean significantly more traffic in the settlement area and sometimes lead to parts of the traffic coming from the north leading across Golm via Eiche towards the city centre. Planning should therefore be done carefully, also with regard to the VU area Golm Nord.

Dates for citizens

If you would like to participate in the INSEK dates, you can take part in the youth workshop on 24.02.2020 and in the planning workshop in the primary school in Bornim on 05.03.2020 (the city is trying to set up childcare for this date).

Titelbild:
B-Pläne in Potsdam-Golm
Bildhinweis: DTK10 © GeoBasis-De/LGB 2017; LHP