Contents page 1 — “For us, this is the existence of” side 2 — “Without our Lands, there’s no vegetable more from Munich” page 3 — “Any built-up Lawn means more traffic and Floods,” On a page

Where can still new designate areas? Many cities get their limit and want to districts in the outdoor. However, there is resistance. Some citizens say it is a total lack of strategy, to others fear, expropriated, some worry about the micro-climate. We spoke with three critics.

Karl-Josef Rühl in Frankfurt on the Board of the Initiative “the home ground of Frankfurt – box instead of concrete”.

TIME ONLINE: Mr. Rühl in Frankfurt, the real estate prices will shoot up with each new luxury residential tower. Now a new neighbourhood to relax in the North-West of the city the location: About 30,000 people to live in subsidised flats. What do you have against it?

Karl-Josef Rühl: Against new homes, I have generally nothing but the area which is to be built, belongs to the foothills of the Wetterau region, and is located between Taunus and bird mountain. It is one of the most important areas in which cold air and cold air flows inside the town. It’s just the cool Taunus air flows down the slopes, but on our fields, the air every night. It cools and flows from here into the city. If we hinder that, we assemble the surfaces, we get a Problem.

TIME ONLINE: Because of the Wetterau determines the weather of the city, or better the climate said?

Karl-Josef Rühl

farmer, Initiative home soil in Frankfurt

Rühl: Frankfurt is the hottest city in the whole of Germany was in the last heat of the year already. It heats up already strong because of the dense development. A Climate assessment of the University of Kassel has identified that would increase the temperature in the city center, on average, an additional four degrees, and if the area would be built. Later, even more, six to ten degrees, it could be. It is so much warmer will evaporate, if we seal the 550 acres of arable land, which is currently in any amount of humidity – which cools our city with each air current. In addition, two Brooks run in the North-West, and the drinking water catchment area of Frankfurt is mostly due to the bird mountain. One of the last private, and centrally of the major fountains of the city, is located here, as are the last of nature-, landscape – and water protection areas. All this would be destroyed.

TIME ONLINE: what is the reaction of the city to these arguments?

Rühl: The says, we will provide the new houses so that air can flow therethrough. But this is ridiculous. Alone the additional concrete surface at this point with further heating. You can later compensate for what would save new building for additional heat. And what do we do when it works? Then, the surfaces are already lost beyond recovery. There is no overall consideration of the city of Frankfurt, so no Simulation to the climate situation. The city refuses, you will know why. It builds on all corners and Ends, but there is always only single observations per project. The impact in these delicate Ecosystems interdependent.

TIME ONLINE: Not only the city residents have to make sacrifices, but also the green outskirts, to which they belong themselves. How to cope with the influx?

Ruehl: It’s not in my own space, and I would also say never: Spared us and builds prefer to go somewhere else. To me, it is already clear that new construction is extremely difficult, if citizen protests hinder the Build anywhere. But my family has lived for 400 years in Oberursel and we have two acres of Land in the development area. And I would lease rather more for 220 Euro per month and per hectare, than to sell tax to the city – because what are the plans, leads to climate change for all of us. This can’t go well! In 1972, there was a territorial reform, at the time, many of the farmers and the churches had to give their Land to the city, because the said: We need these areas as cold air formation area, and supply fresh air from the Taunus. Today, she says The cool air come now, allegedly, more frequently from the East – not only because the surfaces come suddenly convenient.

TIME ONLINE: do you Have a better idea of where Frankfurt should build?

Ruehl: I understand that the city is under pressure, it is at the stop. Through the airport you are not allowed to build in the South. In other Places, the political prominence has impeded the construction, because you live there yourself, and no new wishes areas. But our land can be no pure object of speculation. It also needs to go to get climate-friendly for our grandchildren. There are also opinions, which say that in the entire Rhine-Main region of 300,000 new homes could be created if increasing existing houses.

TIME ONLINE: you would have to bring thousands of house owners but for the time being. This will take years.

Rühl: The new development area in the North-West would not be ready tomorrow. Increase to be used for the General welfare of the people, and there are no quick solutions. To view the construction area Riedberg, which should be completed in 2000. Just building the last houses. In addition, around one Million square metres in the Frankfurt office space is empty, while the station with new office towers. Why can’t they build these empty office spaces to housing?

TIME ONLINE: Would you like to increase your own house, in order to create more space?

Ruehl: I’m actually with the idea. I own a property in the seventies and could put a floor in a lightweight structure. Then I would have a tenant. The municipality would need me to approve but a mono-pitch roof and my neighbor would have to agree. The municipalities would have to simplify such procedures. Alone in Oberursel, we could create 500 new homes by redeveloping the lower flat roofs of disco. There’s a lot of potential. New construction is a task that must be provided by the society as a whole.