Overview

• The Bundestag held the first reading of the ‘Bau-Turbo’ draft on July 10, opening parliamentary scrutiny as opposition parties and industry lobbies voiced objections
• The law would cap the interval between permit submission and construction start at two months, suspend local development plans and allow temporary deviations from emissions and zoning rules until 2030
• SPD Minister Verena Hubertz defended the proposal by emphasizing that municipalities retain authority to design and manage their own public participation procedures
• Greens and Die Linke criticized the plan for curtailing citizen participation rights in spatial planning
• Environmental group NABU warned that fast-track construction threatens urban green spaces and climate resilience, while the DIHK cautioned that opening industrial zones for housing may displace businesses and deter investment