Bernd Landgraf (70) has had his weekend home in New Venice since 2010. Now a third is to go – the size of the conservatory Photo: Charles Yunck
By Isabel Pancake
Now even more Köpenickers have to tremble for their weekend homes in New Venice. The district is now investigating against 27 landowners!
One of them is Bernd Landgraf (70), from whose house at Finkenweg 349 at least a third is to be demolished with an excavator. Because: The development plan for the idyllic canal properties provides that a maximum of 60 square meters may be built on. But Landgraf’s house is 90 square meters.
And this impending demolition is now causing a chain reaction!
The district of Treptow-Köpenick explains: “In the Higher Administrative Court ruling on Finkenweg 349, the partial removal order was confirmed. At the same time – according to the court – the prosecution of other clandestine buildings in New Venice is necessary due to the principle of equal treatment.” Means: there is a risk of demolition in paradise!
That’s why the district is now investigating 27 property owners on suspicion of violations of the development plan!
For the discretionary decisions, the district office has imposed guidelines on itself. But: “If the authority decides to intervene, it is at liberty to gradually rectify the situation,” said the office. So is the district excavator now rolling 27 times in New Venice?
Tears threaten probably only a part of the test cases. The spokesman: “The district office is currently pursuing 10 violations, in which the exceeding of the permissible under building law is particularly pronounced.”
However, it may still take some time before that happens. Those affected are informed, but the investigations are very time-consuming.