New scandal surrounding Zwickau prison: construction companies accuse Saxony!

New scandal surrounding Zwickau prison: construction companies accuse Saxony!

There's a lot of simmering going on in the Zwickau prison building. In recent months, the Free State of Saxony has had to resolve certain differences with various construction companies, which have now culminated in legal disputes. This led to the termination of several companies that worked at the controversial construction site, a decision that triggered strong reactions. The Freie Presse reports that two civil lawsuits are scheduled to begin at the Dresden Regional Court in autumn 2023, as the companies concerned have filed a lawsuit over outstanding payments.

In particular, ‘Frick Krüger Nusser Plan2 GmbH’ from Munich, the previous general planner of the new prison building, is dissatisfied with the situation. After the entire team was fired, managing director Axel Krüger made it clear that he saw this as a “pawn sacrifice” to cover up the state of Saxony’s own mistakes. He also fears that the project's know-how will be lost, which could lead to further delays, as the MDR emphasizes that the commissioning of the new large prison, which was originally planned for the beginning of 2025, must be postponed indefinitely.

Financial and structural challenges

The financial aspects of the Zwickau project are also critical. Most recently, the MDR reported that the costs of construction have now risen to around 303 million euros - more than twice as much as originally estimated. This not only has an impact on the schedule, but also on budget planning in the Free State, as spending on public buildings makes up a significant part of the budget. The budget and finance committee of the Saxon state parliament will take up the matter next week.

Over the last few years, sales in public construction in Germany have developed steadily. According to Statista, this amounted to almost 42 billion euros in 2023, which corresponds to doubling within the last two years. Public construction accounts for around 28 percent of total sales in the construction industry. This shows how important such large construction projects are not only for regional but also for national economic development. However, the challenges that are apparently not uncommon in Zwickau prison construction underline the need for precise planning and transparency in execution.

Minimalist planning – maximum effects?

With 24,000 new non-residential buildings expected to be built in Germany in 2023, it is also worrying that approvals have fallen by nine percent compared to the previous year. This situation could jeopardize plans for new public buildings in the long term and have a negative impact on the construction industry. Especially in an area where the public sector is the main client for developers, this is a sign that should not be ignored.

In summary, it looks like Saxony needs to dress warmly. The legal disputes and financial challenges surrounding the prison construction project in Zwickau are only just beginning. It remains to be seen how quickly a satisfactory solution can be found that meets both the needs of the Free State and the companies affected, and whether political decisions can tackle the urgent structural problems in public construction.