Resistance to LEA: Municipalities demand protection for Schanza farmland!

Resistance to LEA: Municipalities demand protection for Schanza farmland!

In the cities of Ludwigsburg, Asperg and Tamm as well as in the Ludwigsburg district there is resistance to the state's plans to set up a state initial reception center (LEA) on the Schanzacker. Despite a new environmental report raised at a meeting with Justice Minister Marion Gentges on June 4, municipal concerns remain. This report, which has been available since the beginning of April, examines the potential impacts of the development on protected species and their habitats.

The report recognizes that development is fundamentally possible from an ecological perspective, but extensive protective measures are required. These include requirements for building ground preparation outside the bird breeding season and the creation of compensation areas for threatened bird species such as the skylark. In this regard, 18 bird species were spotted during inspections, including the endangered tree sparrow. Additionally, the proposed LEA affects 22 hectares of farmland, which is causing concern among residents as this land is currently used for agriculture.

Concerns from municipalities and citizens' initiatives

The municipalities' concerns were expressed by Tamm's mayor Martin Bernhard and Asperg's mayor Christian Eiberger. The latter described the area on the Schanzacker as “unsuitable for an initial reception facility”. The Ludwigsburg district also sees “significant challenges” in the planned use and the first mayor of Ludwigsburg, Renate Schmetz, is calling for an in-depth analysis of the nature conservation assessment. The municipalities expect that their reservations will be taken into account in the decision-making process.

In addition, the citizens' initiative “Together against LEA Tamm-Asperg” criticizes the transparency and demands access to files because it considers the state's report to be inadequate. In particular, it is stated that the report does not contain any studies on water resources and the effects on agriculture.

Planned capacity and next step

The LEA will have a capacity of up to 2,500 people and the plan currently includes 17 buildings for different uses. The next step is to examine the building planning and spatial planning situation, although completion is uncertain.

Further discussions are planned before the summer break to clarify open questions and hopefully find common ground. District Administrator Dietmar Allgaier emphasized that the report would be carefully examined and signaled a willingness to engage in dialogue. Municipalities have a clear expectation of this process: their concerns must be taken seriously.