After long negotiations, the Zweibrücken Fashion Outlet is allowed to implement its extensive expansion plans under certain conditions. However, regional industry associations warn of negative consequences for local retailers.
According to a report by the German Press Agency (dpa), the responsible control authority, the Structure and Approval Directorate (SGD) South, approved last week an expansion of the shopping center from the current 21,000 to 29,500 square meters. However, the positive decision contained restrictions: In the future, clothing and shoes and leather goods could only be offered on a maximum of 22,000 square meters and shoes and leather goods on a maximum of 4,200 square meters, according to the Dpa.
Regional Chambers of Industry and Commerce see “a slap in the face of the inner cities”
The decision was nevertheless met with strong criticism from local business associations: the approval was “a slap in the face of the inner cities,” complained the Chambers of Commerce and Industry (IHK) for the Palatinate and Saarland in identical press releases on Thursday. The outlet center will “once again gain a massive competitive advantage in terms of planning law – this time without regional consensus,” it says. “In particular, the SGD’s argument that sales areas of 22,000 square meters for textiles and 4,200 square meters for shoes – i.e. typical inner-city product ranges – would not endanger surrounding inner cities is incomprehensible.”
The two industry organizations are now relying on “the surrounding municipalities in Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland to make use of their legal options and have this questionable decision reviewed.”
The Zweibrücken Fashion Outlet had previously been criticized for its “additional Sunday openings”. These regulations have “caused anger and frustration throughout the region for many years,” the two Chambers of Industry and Commerce explained in their statement.