Torgau is planning a new shopping center: chance or threat to the old town?

Torgau is planning a new shopping center: chance or threat to the old town?

in Torgau, North Saxony, a planned local supply center in the former paper mill on Naundorfer Strasse attracts attention. The property Anhalt GmbH from Lützen has requested a three -storey building to accommodate two large supermarkets on the ground floor, including Aldi and Edeka, as well as several specialty shops, a day care facility, medical practices, gastronomy and apartments. However, this project results in resistance because critics fear a possible repressed competition for small retailers in the old town. An online petition on the OpenPetent platform has already collected around 570 signatures within the first four days, while in numerous inner-city transactions there are paper lists for the collection of signatures.

The supporters of the project see themselves as a defender of a positive urban development. They argue that the use of the loaded industrial wasteland as a local supply center is a helpful alternative to the originally planned commercial use. They also emphasize the need for age -appropriate living space in the city, which could be covered by this project.

social challenges in Torgaus Nordwestviertel

Another topic that shapes Torgau is the tense social situation in the Northwest district. According to a Policy paper from the EFBI, which was written by Dominik Intelmann and Andre Schmidt, this quarter is considered the "social focus". It shows disintegrative tendencies and is characterized by social conflicts, such as nighttime disturbances and violent clashes. These conflicts are also associated with the influx of migrant workers from Eastern Europe.

The reports' authors require increased intervention to alleviate social hardships and strengthen cohesion in the social area. The aim is to help residents, especially migrants, participate in the social and economic processes in the city. At the same time, it is noted that problem processing often tends to culture social problems and the measures are therefore not always effective.

developments at the social level

A look at the social developments in Torgau shows relaxation effects after corona pandemic and the effects of the Ukraine war. According to reports, the unemployment rate according to the SGB II fell from 5.3 % in 2020 to 4.6 % in 2022. Child poverty also fell from 26.9 % to 24.5 %. A significant proportion of children lives in single parent households, which requires special attention in social measures.

Social cohesion in the city faces challenges, especially in the northwestern part, which is considered an example of similar focal points in Germany. The targeted observation and promotion of such areas is crucial to secure positive trends in the long term.

In this context, the planned local supply center is part of a larger urban planning plan, which carries both opportunities and risks. While some initiatives and citizens are fighting to upgrade the district, the potential disadvantage of existing dealers must not be neglected.

For Torgau, it remains to be seen how these developments are further shaping and whether the planned projects can bring the desired social improvements.