Bern: Municipal council wants to buy Gaswerk site
The municipal council wants to buy the Gaswerk site from Energie Wasser Bern as quickly as possible. The aim is to complete the development process for the site under its own responsibility.
Bern's municipal council has announced its intention to acquire the Gaswerk site from Energie Wasser Bern (ewb) and thus to complete the development process itself. The council also wants to determine the future investors and building leaseholders itself. The price for the purchase of the land has yet to be determined.
Based on the debates and proposals of the city council and feedback from the public, as well as after a broad analysis, the conclusion was reached that only the purchase of the Gaswerk site with subsequent development by the city itself would be expedient, writes the city council in a statement. The exclusive cooperation with an external partner in the development process entails too high political risks and contradicts the concept of competition in the municipal planning and building sector, it continues.
Expenditure by Losinger Marazzi is compensated
As the party entitled to pre-emption, the city is not bound by the development agreement between ewb and Losinger Marazzi. However, the city's site development can build on the work carried out to date, especially since important findings have been obtained as a result. According to its contract, Losinger Marazzi is to be compensated for its efforts by ewb and indirectly by the city by setting an adequate purchase price.
As a confidence-building measure and to ensure the involvement of the legislative body, the municipal council intends to submit a report to the city council by mid-2017 at the latest on the work done to date, the necessary plan amendment process, and the real estate and development strategy. The city council will be able to make planning statements on this.
