New Volkswagen plant in Warmenau
Volkswagen's new production facility for the Trinity project will be built in Wolfsburg-Warmenau
Latest news
Trinity: Event for citizens* - Review
On Monday, November 7, the city of Wolfsburg and Volkswagen invited interested members of the public to the latest planning status for the new plant near Warmenau. Around 300 participants came to the CongressPark to find out about the current planning status of the new factory.
After a lecture section in the Spiegelsaal, the event then moved on to a so-called info market. At various theme tables on topics such as factory layout, mobility, environmental protection and supplier park, numerous employees from Volkswagen and the city were on hand to provide information and take on board feedback and suggestions, which in turn will be incorporated into the planning.
A major change was also presented: The planned paint shop will now be rotated 90 degrees. The reason for this is that Volkswagen has to buy several plots of land for the construction of the new factory, but some land owners are demanding prices that are many times higher than the usual market prices for land. In addition, the planned connecting structure between the main plant and the new factory will be moved further west.
The changes will also have advantages: the paint shop will be rotated by 90 degrees, optimizing the noise situation in the direction of Kästorf. In addition, the distance that finished vehicles have to cover in the direction of the main plant will be shortened. The relocation of the connecting structure means that it no longer runs through the forest but along the edge of it. This results in significantly less encroachment on the forest area.
And so it goes on: The revision of the development plan will take several weeks. Accordingly, the council will not be able to pass the draft and interpretation resolution until the first quarter of 2023, and the city will not be able to publish the draft until after that. The clearing of bushes and leveling of the area will not take place until the second half of the year, together with the actual start of construction. This is unproblematic because only preparatory work was planned on the site in the spring and summer, partly due to consideration for the breeding season.
All those involved were pleased with the great interest from the public and the constructive atmosphere in which questions were asked and suggestions made.
City of Wolfsburg and Volkswagen invite citizens to information event // Trinity Infomarket in CongressPark on November 7
An information event on the planned new construction of the Trinity plant in Wolfsburg Warmenau will be held on November 7. The city of Wolfsburg and Volkswagen jointly invite citizens and the public to present the project and inform them about the current planning status. As part of the information market taking place there, participants will also have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in an exchange with experts from the city of Wolfsburg and Volkswagen.
What is it about? At the event, the city of Wolfsburg and Volkswagen will provide comprehensive information on the current planning status of the project.
The event is part of a comprehensive dialog process with the public. Citizens* already have the opportunity to contact the city's contact point with questions:
Phone: 05361 28-5561
E-mail: beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de
Or the Volkswagen contact point: trinitywerk@volkswagen.de.
Public participation in Trinity building plans: "Many suggestions incorporated"
"Through the participation process, we received many great suggestions from the citizens, which our experts were happy to take up. We incorporated the ideas into the further process. Some of them have led to adjustments and improvements, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them. I would also like to thank my colleagues in the construction department for their commitment to this project," says Mayor Dennis Weilmann.
Particularly for the relief of the Warmenau district, something else was done: For example, the location of the so-called "Supplier-Park", i.e. the supplier park, was changed. "The supplier park is currently in the draft processing no longer west of the K31, but on its east side, and there also moved further north. Likewise, the traffic concept has been adapted and improved," explains city planning officer Kai-Uwe Hirschheide (see graphic).
Sebastian Schmickartz, who is in charge of the Trinity project at Volkswagen, adds: "It turned out to be very valuable to make our planning transparent right from the start and to enter into an exchange with the people on site."
For the development of the Supplier Park as well as for the development of the existing "Birnbaumstücke" industrial estate, it was possible to work out a new variant that no longer runs along the eastern edge of Warmenau. In this way, the district will be less burdened because truck traffic will no longer pass through the village in the future. Another traffic area is now planned parallel to the B188 in the area of Birnbaumstücke, which will lead the traffic directly to the underpass in the area of the K31.
There are further adjustments south of Hannoversche Straße. Here, a commercial area is no longer designated. Instead, a near-natural rainwater retention basin is planned there, as well as compensatory measures or the retention as agricultural land. In addition, the draft now takes into account noise protection measures in the direction of the residential buildings and makes specific provisions for compensation and replacement measures as well as CEF measures*.
In principle, all conceivable issues, from forests to waterways, from bike paths to lighting, were again carefully considered in the development plan process. This included, among other things, the mapping of flora and fauna, the determination of traffic figures and soil investigations. The expert reports on all these topics are now available or are on the home stretch and are currently being incorporated into the urban land use plan procedure. All results will be presented to the public at an event on November 7 in the CongressPark. Subsequently, the council of the city of Wolfsburg will decide on the draft plan and the decision on its interpretation.
*CEF measures: CEF measures are measures to ensure continuous ecological functionality.
Public to be involved again
Trinity: Traffic planning in the neighboring districts
There will be further public participation dates in connection with the planned car plant for Trinity production. The content will be traffic planning in connection with the new factory site in Warmenau. The first events will take place in each case from 6 to 8 p.m. in Kästorf on October 12, in the multi-purpose hall, Im Wiesengrund 21; in Warmenau on October 13 , in the Alte Schule, Am Haselborn 2; in Brackstedt on November 1, in the Finale restaurant, Lange Trift 3; and in Nordstadt on November 3, in the hall of the multi-generation house, Hansaplatz 17 .
The new production plant in Warmenau will also change traffic flows in the north of Wolfsburg. Because jobs from the main plant are to be relocated here in particular, the journey of VW employees will also shift in this direction. In order not to burden the public transport infrastructure with the flow of goods to the new plant, an independent connection is planned between the main plant and the Trinity plant. The heavily used traffic connections in the north of Wolfsburg, with the through-roads in Kästorf, Warmenau, Nordstadt and Brackstedt, are also to be considered and adapted to the new local situation.
"In order to provide information about the need for action in terms of traffic around the Trinity project and to enter into discussion with the citizens*, various planning participants from the area of road construction and project coordination will come to the districts of Kästorf, Warmenau, Nordstadt and Brackstedt in the fall," informs city building official Kai-Uwe Hirschheide.
At the first meeting, the previous plans will be presented and discussed once again, and design ideas and suggestions for pedestrian and bicycle traffic through to local public transport will be collected and then tested for feasibility. In a second meeting, which will take place later, the traffic concepts for the respective districts will be presented and open questions will be clarified.
For organizational and capacity reasons, the city asks all interested parties to register in advance by e-mail with the subject "Citizen participation event date" at beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de. Participation without registration will not be possible for organizational reasons. The dates of the second series of events will take place in the first half of 2023. Further questions can be sent to the e-mail address beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de.
Citizens* event at CongressPark
The citizens' event on Trinity in CongressPark, which was originally planned for August 31, will not take place. It will be postponed until the fall/winter. This is due to the urban land use planning.
New Trinity Planning Newsletter
Interested citizens can now register for a new newsletter on the current status of planning for the Trinity project. In regular intervals, the city would like to inform about the most exciting and current aspects of very different topics.
"The newsletter was a suggestion that we took, among other things, from the early citizen participation. Of course, we are happy to take up the suggestion in order to communicate developments and the current planning status in a targeted manner," says Mayor Dennis Weilmann with pleasure.
In particular, the newsletter will provide news about planning procedures, the traffic situation, and noise and environmental protection measures. You can register free of charge with a valid e-mail address on the website mein.wolfsburg.de/newsletter under the heading Trinity. The first issue is then planned after the summer break.
Public to be involved in Trinity matter at an early stage | Registrations for the information sessions still possible
In connection with the new car plant to be built for Trinity production, early public participation will take place shortly.
There will be public information events on this. Registrations are still possible for the events in Kästorf and Nordstadt.
Wednesday, June 8, at 6:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose hall Kästorf, Im Wiesengrund 21, Thursday, June 9, at 6:00 p.m. in the multi-generation house Nordstadt, Hansaplatz 17.
The event in the village community center Warmenau on Tuesday, May 31, is fully booked. The city of Wolfsburg will offer another date in Warmenau at short notice.
During the evenings, the objectives and purposes of the planning will be presented. The public will have the opportunity to comment and discuss matters.
For organizational and capacity reasons, interested parties are asked to register for the events. Either by e-mail at beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de or by telephone at 05361 28-2942. The name, number of people attending and the date of the event must be stated. The current Corona regulations apply.
- 15.06. and 06.07., from 16:00-18:00 o'clock, village community center Warmenau (meeting room and speaking place because of Internet connection), Am Haselborn 2, 38448 Wolfsburg.
- 22.06. and 13.07., from 16:00-18:00, club room in the multi-purpose hall Kästorf, Im Wiesengrund 21, 38448 Wolfsburg
- 29.06. and 13.07., from 16:00-18:00 h, Municipal consultation office in the multi-generation house Nordstadt, Hansaplatz 17, 38448 Wolfsburg
The appointments on 13.07. will actually run simultaneously, so that all districts are served twice.
Public to be involved at an early stage in Trinity matter | Plans for Warmenau industrial estate on display - information events planned
In connection with the new car plant to be built for Trinity production, the city council decided in February to draw up new development plans for the Warmenau North-East and South-East industrial estates in the districts of Warmenau, Brackstedt and Kästorf and to amend the land use plan. The early public participation will take place shortly.
The aim of the process is to expand the existing commercial areas in order to secure the location. The city should continue to develop as an attractive business and commercial location in the future. In the course of this, the relevant areas are to be examined with regard to potential settlements. If they are suitable, planning law is to be created.
Three public information events will be held for this purpose. These will take place on Tuesday, May 31, at 6:00 p.m. in the village community center in Warmenau, Strauberg 7, on Wednesday, June 8, at 6:00 p.m. in the multi-purpose hall in Kästorf, Im Wiesengrund 21, and on Thursday, June 9, at 6:00 p.m. in the multi-generation center in Nordstadt, Hansaplatz 17. The objectives and purposes of the planning will be presented on the three evenings. The public will have the opportunity to comment and discuss matters.
For organizational and capacity reasons, interested parties are asked to register for the events by May 20. Either by mail at beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de or by phone at 05361 28-2942. Name, number of people attending and the date of the event should be mentioned. The current Corona regulations apply.
Furthermore, it is possible for the public to view the preliminary drafts of the development plans and the land use plan amendment with a project description from May 31 up to and including June 17 at City Hall B, third floor, Porschestrasse 49 from Monday to Thursday from 07:00 to 17:30 and on Fridays from 07:00 to 13:00. The documents are also available on the city's website.
Information can be obtained from the Urban Planning and Building Consultancy Division during general opening hours, but only by prior appointment by calling 05361 28-1184 or 28-1727.
New Trinity plant | Preliminary soil investigations start - consideration for species protection
The city of Wolfsburg and Volkswagen are working closely together as partners to ensure the best possible implementation of the Trinity project at the Warmenau site. The focus is also on providing the public with up-to-date and regular information on the current status: As one of the first on-site measures, this includes preliminary subsoil investigations on the planned plant site north of the B188 and on the route between the new plant and the Volkswagen main plant. These will be carried out from now until probably the end of April 2022. Special consideration will be given to species protection during the preliminary soil investigations. Due to the start of the breeding and setting season, it is necessary to closely supervise the investigations by an ecological construction monitoring team. In addition, suitable measures, e.g. the creation of alternative areas for the skylark, were initiated in cooperation with the responsible lower nature conservation authority. In this way, the nesting and rearing of young animals can be ensured despite the necessary preliminary investigations.
Areas for the new automotive plant inspected | Minister of Economics Althusmann and Mayor Weilmann on site in Warmenau
Following Volkswagen AG's decision to develop its new automotive plant at its headquarters on the Wolfsburg municipal territory, Mayor Dennis Weilmann today met with Lower Saxony's Minister of Economic Affairs Bernd Althusmann as well as local mayor Angelika Jahns for an on-site appointment in Warmenau. The so-called Trinity plant is to be built there.
"To get the new automotive plant off the ground, we have set ourselves an ambitious schedule. On the part of the city, the politicians and the other parties involved, we are placing maximum focus on this important project," emphasized Mayor Dennis Weilmann in Warmenau. "That's why I invited the Minister of Economics to Wolfsburg at short notice to coordinate the framework conditions and the support of the state as quickly as possible."
Lower Saxony's Minister of Economic Affairs, Dr. Bernd Althusmann, has assured the city of Wolfsburg of active support from the state in creating the necessary transport infrastructure for the planned VW Trinity plant: "The Volkswagen Group's decision in favor of the Trinity site in Wolfsburg-Warmenau is a further signal of departure into an automotive future 'made in Lower Saxony'. And at the same time it is a strong commitment by VW to the business location of Lower Saxony and to Wolfsburg. As a state, we want to support Volkswagen and the city of Wolfsburg to the best of our ability in creating the necessary transport links for this lighthouse project, so that production can begin in the new plant on time."
For example, to provide an efficient road link to the new production plant, the B 188 trunk road is to be widened to four lanes from the Weyhausen junction on the A39 to the 322 state highway. The planning costs for the widening of the B 188 will be borne by the state. In addition, Althusmann explained that the state of Lower Saxony intends to lobby the Federal Ministry of Transport to ensure that the necessary approvals and the provision of funding for the construction and land acquisition of the B 188 are obtained quickly. Also discussed were the possible expansion of local public transport (ÖPNV) in the region and attractive mobility options around Warmenau.
In order to implement the project smoothly, in the coming weeks and months the city also wants to push ahead in particular with the reviews of the pending planning and approval procedures. To this end, a dedicated project team will be installed at the city administration to handle the project in the best possible way. The working group will support Volkswagen AG in implementing the Trinity plant as quickly as possible.
It is working on the legal requirements for drawing up the urban land use plan and preparing the building permit. In addition to construction and traffic issues, the focus is also on environmental compatibility. An appropriate noise and noise protection report and, for example, a species protection map required for such a project have already been commissioned.
The citizens who live in the immediate vicinity of the new automotive plant are to be involved in the further steps of the process at an early stage through appropriate participation processes, as are the politicians. This is to take place, for example, through local citizens' meetings and regular reports in the local councils.
Volkswagen decision on "Trinity" site | Lord Mayor Dennis Weilmann: "A good day for Wolfsburg!"
The city of Wolfsburg reacts with great pleasure to Volkswagen AG's decision to build a new automotive plant on the Wolfsburg city site. The project, known as "Trinity", is to be implemented at the company's headquarters following confirmation by the Volkswagen Supervisory Board.
"Today is a good day for Wolfsburg! We are delighted that Trinity will be realized where the connection with Volkswagen is traditionally strongest. It is an excellent and important decision for the future for the city, but also for the surrounding communities and the entire region," said Mayor Dennis Weilmann.
In recent months, numerous discussions had taken place between the city administration, Volkswagen, the works council and politicians in order to identify the specific requirements and possible suitable sites within the Wolfsburg city limits. In this context, the course was also set at an early stage for further development as an attractive business and industrial location. The main focus was on rapid planning and approval procedures to ensure smooth implementation of the project. All the measures introduced ultimately led to success and convinced Volkswagen's management of the decision to expand the Wolfsburg site. On this good basis, the reviews of the upcoming planning and approval procedures are now to be driven forward.
City Planning Director Kai-Uwe Hirschheide: "The Construction Department can rely here on its motivated and qualified specialists, who are eagerly awaiting this outstanding new task. With an interdisciplinary project team set up specifically for this purpose, the city administration will create a particularly efficient and effective structure to handle the project in the best possible way. In addition to construction and traffic concerns, the focus will also be on environmental concerns."
"In the project, we will involve and inform the citizens in the immediate vicinity of the factory being built and closely integrate them into the further processes," Weilmann said. "The city of Wolfsburg is and will remain a reliable partner for Volkswagen, now and in the future. I would like to expressly thank everyone whose efforts have made this success possible for our city. Now the work begins to support Volkswagen in the concrete implementation of Trinity in Wolfsburg. I am convinced that the entire region will benefit from this decision."
After months of talks between the city administration, Volkswagen, the works council and politicians, the Volkswagen supervisory board decided to build the new plant on Wolfsburg city land.
The decision to select the site focused above all on rapid planning and approval procedures to ensure smooth implementation of the project.
On this page you will find the latest information on the realization of the project.
Lord Mayor Dennis Weilmann: "We are delighted that Trinity is being realized where the connection with Volkswagen is traditionally strongest. It is an excellent and important decision for the future for the city, but also for the surrounding communities and the entire region."
Frequently asked questions
An automotive plant is being built for the Trinity electric vehicle. The Trinity mid-size sedan is the new flagship of Volkswagen's electric fleet and will set standards in autonomous driving, digitalization and zero-emission mobility. The new plant is expected to build 250,000 vehicles annually. The main operating units of the new plant are body shop, paint shop and assembly.
Volkswagen.
The Trinity plant is being built in the Warmenau district of Wolfsburg, north of the B188 highway. The districts of Kästorf, Kreuzheide and Brackstedt are in the immediate vicinity. A large part of this area has already been designated as commercial land.
The new plant is estimated to cover 110 hectares. This corresponds to the area of around 130 soccer fields.
You can follow the progress of the project at the public information meetings. There will also be a newsletter from the city of Wolfsburg. You can subscribe to this here.
Following the four public participation events in May and June 2022, citizens' meetings will be held in the districts of Warmenau, Kästorf and Nordstadt. A further citizens' event is expected to take place at the end of August.
In the next step, an expert opinion and a works planning/development planning (draft development plan) will be prepared, which are expected to be publicly displayed in the IV quarter of 2022 to enable participation.
The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for the II quarter of 2023.
It is planned to complete the construction of the Trinity plant in the III quarter of 2024.
Official production start of the Trinity is planned for 2026 - the first pilot series will be built in 2025.
Yes, archaeological probing for ground monuments will be conducted.
Yes, an extensive evaluation of aerial photographs is carried out in advance of the construction work. The area will be examined for munitions.
There are a variety of opportunities for participation:
- Participation in the Early Public Participation/Regular Participation process
- Participation in public consultation hours
- By e-mail to beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de
- In writing at the city hall at the city planning department
Participation is not tied to place of residence. In general, anyone who is affected in any way or who can name concerns that must be taken into account in the process can participate.
Dates for public events will be announced promptly in the newsletter and here.
The new Volkswagen factory and the supplier park require an adaptation of the traffic infrastructure. This is the only way to ensure a sustainable and efficient development of the site. The type and scope of structural adjustments will be determined by a traffic survey. Volkswagen AG provides key project figures such as employee numbers, shift models, plant size, number of planned parking spaces and much more as a basis for this. A mobility concept is being developed in parallel in order to strengthen the environmental alliance as an essential component of the development. It provides for necessary and suitable measures such as the creation of an attractive and comfortable public transport connection, connections to the bicycle network, but also alternative mobility offers.
Volkswagen currently plans for employees to enter the plant from the east side. Therefore, parking is planned there. A public connecting road will be built between county road 46 and the access to the parking lot, where, according to current planning, a mobility station (for example, bus stop) will also be located.
In the eastern area (near Kreuzheide), no changes to the traffic routing are currently planned. However, a new junction will be created on Kreisstraße 46 to connect the employee access (probably at the junction with Hubertusstraße). In order to relieve Warmenau, county road 31 is to be realigned. Various variants are currently being discussed for this purpose.
This cannot yet be answered according to the current planning status. The necessary construction measures (both by Volkswagen AG and the expansion of the public infrastructure) still have to be coordinated. Realistic effects from the start of construction are for a period of approximately 3 to 5 years.
Building rights for the majority of the municipal expansion requirements should be available at the beginning of 2023 after careful examination of all submissions and consideration of all expert opinions.
The mobility measures will be announced in good time. Unfortunately, it is not possible at present to say exactly how far in advance this will be and it also depends on the measure in question.
In principle, the Trinity plant will not create any additional jobs and will therefore not generate any additional traffic. The project will result in the relocation of employees from the main plant to the new site in Warmenau. With regard to the spatial distribution of employment, it is possible to speak of a disentanglement. In addition, innovative mobility offerings will ensure that employees have additional attractive options besides using their own vehicles. In order to develop the road traffic infrastructure in a sustainable manner and to avoid travel time losses, the commissioned traffic report will determine the need for expansion measures and at the same time take into account that the surrounding districts will be spared from through traffic.
Noise protection in residential areas must be complied with. The following points will be considered in the noise assessment report, which has yet to be prepared:
- Noise effects on people and the environment
- Immission points
- Compliance with immission guide values
- Differentiation in: Traffic noise (based on traffic figures), commercial noise (based on plant noise).
As a result, the following evidence must be provided:
- Proof of compliance with immission guide values
- Demonstration of the necessity of noise abatement measures
The following environmental aspects are considered:
- Species protection expert opinion: The expert opinion has been applied for. Mapping has already begun. In addition, for example, the existing wildlife will be driven away by repeated disturbance, the so-called Vergrämung.
- Flora-Fauna-Habitat (FFH) impact assessment: The basic investigations have begun.
- Forest law expert opinion: The result of the expert opinion is already under review.
- Green-space expert report (GOF): The commissioning is to be carried out in the near future.
- Environmental report: The commissioning of the development plan has taken place.
- Noise protection report: This has been commissioned and is currently being prepared.
- Accident report: Coordination regarding the type and scope is currently underway with the Trade Inspectorate (GAA).
- Climate report: The report is currently being commissioned.
Yes, species protection is observed in all measures. No measures will be carried out without the approval of the Lower Nature Conservation Authority of the City of Wolfsburg. Preparatory measures that are required during the breeding and setting season in 2022 will only be carried out with the approval of the nature conservation authorities, subject to the precondition that species protection measures are taken to avoid the prohibition of species in accordance with Section 44 of the Federal Nature Conservation Act. The measures will be monitored by environmental construction supervision. The faunistic mapping of various species groups will be carried out from March to October 2022 and thus cover all crucial life phases. Long-term species protection measures will be derived on the basis of the results.
Yes, for the intervention in nature and landscape an equivalent compensation (compensation) is to be created. If possible, the compensation should take place on the property. If this is not possible, the compensation must be made in the same landscape area.
All animals living in the plan area must be given a replacement area before the area can be built on (so-called CEF measures = measures brought forward in time for permanent ecological function).
Various commissioned planning offices are involved in the project on the side of the developer, Volkswagen AG. In addition, the city of Wolfsburg and other approval and planning authorities as well as commissioned expert consultants are managing the urban land use plan procedure.
The project is funded by Volkswagen AG.
No road development contributions are currently levied for the renewal of roads, as the road development contribution statute was abolished in the City of Wolfsburg by the Council as of 01.01.2020. Contributions could only be levied if the Council were to introduce a new road development contribution statute by the time the traffic facilities are completed.
Advantages are
- Securing the location of the main plant and thus safeguarding jobs
- Safeguarding Wolfsburg as an attractive business and industrial location
- Future viability of the region
As of today, the jobs will be relocated from the previous main plant.
Since the employees of the new plant come from the previous main plant, it can be assumed that traffic will be disentangled. In relation to the urban area of Wolfsburg, shifting effects from the main plant to the new plant are therefore to be expected. This must be assessed as accurately as possible in the traffic study commissioned by the city of Wolfsburg. On the other hand, interurban commuter traffic will be less affected because the main plant and Trinity are in close proximity to each other.
Volkswagen AG's mobility concept will determine whether the parking spaces on Heinrich-Nordhoff-Strasse will become less important and whether traffic on the B188 highway is likely to increase, or whether commuters will be able to cross the plant site to reach their new place of work.
Due to the greater distance between the main train station and the Trinity plant, local public transport and an adapted mobility concept are of decisive importance.
As this is only a relocation of jobs at the Wolfsburg site, there should be no perceptible impact on the housing market.
Contact
City of Wolfsburg
Citizen's Advice/Department of Urban Planning and Building Consultancy
Phone: 05361 28-5561
E-mail: beteiligung.trinity@stadt.wolfsburg.de