A citizens' initiative, nature conservationists and politicians have been arguing in Cologne for years. It involves two sanctuaries: 1. FC Köln and the green belt. Now a court has to decide.
Münster (dpa / lnw) - On Thursday (10.30 a.m.) the Higher Administrative Court of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia will deal with the controversial expansion of the training grounds of 1. FC Köln. The OVG judges in Münster have to decide whether the expansion of the club's premises into the green belt in Cologne is legally permissible. A citizens' initiative and the Nabu nature conservation association are attacking the city's development plan, which was approved in June 2020 and entitled "RheinEnergieSportpark in Cologne". The Higher Administrative Court is the first instance on this issue and wants to announce a decision on Thursday.
The club grounds with the Geißbockheim are around five kilometers from the Bundesliga stadium of Cologne in the city's green belt. It is used by the population as a local recreation area. The Bundesliga soccer club wants to expand its premises to the Gleueler Wiese and build artificial turf pitches for the youngsters and a modern academy there. That is why there has been a dispute in the cathedral city for years. A citizens' initiative and Nabu complain that nature and landscape protection were not sufficiently taken into account in the planning.
