Federal asylum center to be built in Muttenz
A federal asylum center is to be built on the site of the former Feldreben landfill in Muttenz. Starting in August, 500 asylum seekers will initially be housed there; if necessary, the center can be expanded to accommodate up to 900 people. The approximately 52,000-square-meter site is currently used as a truck terminal.
The building application for the temporary center is now open to the public. The asylum seekers are to be accommodated in residential modules made of gas concrete slabs and wooden fire protection panels. In addition to the playground, a climbing area and sports facilities are planned.
Asylum seekers are to stay at the Muttenz center for only two weeks, where they will be registered, security-checked and subjected to "border-sanitary measures," according to the federal government. Currently, the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) runs 20 asylum centers with around 5,000 accommodation places.
The use of the site is initially planned for two years from the time of commissioning, but an extension could be renegotiated before the end of the two years, provided that the schedule of the landfill remediation permits this. A permanent use is not possible due to the upcoming remediation of the contaminated site. According to an expert opinion from the canton, temporary residential use does not pose a risk to the people housed there. (ah)
