New prison building in Zwickau: rescue plan for failed project!

New prison building in Zwickau: rescue plan for failed project!

There is news in Zwickau that is causing a stir. Saxony and Thuringia recently reached an agreement to complete the new prison building in Zwickau. This has been overshadowed by difficulties for years and is now scheduled to be completed by 2029. The correctional facility (JVA) is designed as a joint project by both federal states and is being built on the former site of the Reichsbahn repair shop. The project will require a total construction period of ten years and will bring with it some exciting planned facilities.

In the current planning, in addition to six prison houses for closed prisons, a prison house for open prisons, a sports hall, various work establishments and a cultural and administrative building with a visitor center are planned. Covering over 30,000 square meters, this impressive area is enclosed by a six-meter-high concrete wall. A total of 820 detention places are to be created, of which 450 are for Saxony and 370 for Thuringia.

Celebrations and challenges

The topping-out ceremony for the new building was celebrated in October 2022, at which high-ranking representatives from both federal states, including Dirk Diedrichs and Susanna Karawanskij, were present. The construction work seemed to be well underway at the time. But the project has been plagued by rising costs and delays for years. The approved cost framework is currently 317.8 million euros, of which 236 million euros have already been spent. Since the construction price index has risen by around 50 percent in recent years, possible further cost increases cannot be ruled out. In addition, construction site activities have been suspended since the end of March.

The problems that arose during construction are now leading to new negotiations between the finance state secretaries of Saxony and Thuringia. The aim is to reduce costs and make construction progress clearer. The discussion is not only about the current building regulations, but also about the fundamental lack of clarity regarding the completion of the project, which was originally planned for 2019. Defects in planning and construction supervision have meant that the completion date for the first quarter of 2025 is no longer sustainable after the contract with the general planner was terminated.

On the home stretch?

Although the construction still faces major challenges, those responsible are cautiously optimistic about the handover in 2029. A new building in Thuringia has already been discussed as economically sensible, but termination of the state treaty between the two countries is currently not possible. The first coordination on planning, for example, took over three years, which can also be attributed to resistance and conflicts in the early years.

In the interim, the prison project in Zwickau could become a crucial milestone for the correctional facilities in both federal states, even if the debacle of recent years raises the question of whether it can actually be implemented in time. The responsibility now lies on the shoulders of the responsible ministries - it remains to be seen whether they can demonstrate a good hand in finally bringing the construction site to its destination.

For further information on the difficulties and the current status of the project, we recommend taking a look at the reports from Free press, Media service Saxony and Sächsische.de, all of which provide comprehensive details of the developments.