Legislative body's sessions resumed following break - Updated regulations for the installation of heat pumps and solar systems are being introduced.
Thuringia's parliament has made changes to the state's building laws. The support for the bill was doubtful up until the end. The opposition was mostly displeased with the short timeframe, and there were also sharp complaints from organizations like the Chamber of Architects.
Garages Now Bigger
The updated building regulations offer more lenient guidelines for constructing garages: They can now be made as big as 50 square meters without requiring a permit. Earlier, this size limit was 40 square meters. The rules vary for land outside cities.
There are also new regulations for installing heat pumps - they will soon be allowed to be placed at the plot boundary in certain circumstances. Before, there was a safety gap of at least three meters from the neighboring plot. This amendment aims to adjust to new EU regulations. There are now smaller distances required for putting solar panels on the rooftops of terraced and semi-detached houses.
Despite Criticism, Minister Persists
Thuringia's Building Minister Susanna Karawanskij (Left) continued to push for the amendment until the last minute. The building regulations exist to establish quality standards and safeguard people from dangers, she stated in a parliament speech. It should be possible to submit digital building applications, and the amended regulations would help de-bureaucratize the process. "This is a compromise carried by various groups," she said.
Shortly before the vote, the CDU indicated they wouldn't agree with the building regulations. Most attention centered on the FDP group's stance. FDP building expert Dirk Bergner protested that the draft arrived late, but it wasn't as bad as it was publicly portrayed. "However, underneath the surface, the harsh criticism remains unresolved," he said. His group would vote against the amendment because of respect for the expressed criticism and the associations. Bergner is a civil engineer. In the end, there was a majority, as not enough opposition MPs were present.
Link to the agenda: [Agenda]
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The Thuringian Parliament approved a new approval procedure for heat pump installations, aligning with EU regulations. The change allows for closer placement of heat pumps at plot boundaries in specific circumstances. In addition, Thuringia's new regulations for solar systems enable smaller distances between solar panels on the rooftops of terraced and semi-detached houses. Despite opposition criticism, these changes were implemented in the state of Thuringia, particularly in cities like Erfurt.
