Fear is rampant in the community of Sauerlach. On the one hand, before a development that could overwhelm the place: the construction of the new high school, including an industrial area, medical center, daycare center and a residential development with up to 1000 new residents in the so-called Sauerlach-Ost planning area north of Hofoldinger Straße. On the other hand, that the high school, which has long since been approved by the Ministry of Education, could still fail. Above all, the fear of losing is accompanied by accusations. “If it hits the wall, it’s your fault,” CSU councilor Michael Hohenleitner attacked Mayor Barbara Bogner (Independent Citizens’ Association) on Tuesday evening at the council meeting. And further: “You were not asked to look for an alternative location.”
The alternative location is in the north of the main town, east of Münchner Straße. It was not until the end of January that City Hall boss Bogner officially confirmed that she was negotiating a purchase with the property owner there; when building a secondary school, the respective municipality must contribute the property. Now it is becoming more and more clear that Bogner is probably tending towards an alternative location. On behalf of the municipal council, she had an architect examine whether the area at Otterloher Feld was suitable for the construction of a high school and sports facilities, and the answer was very clear: “The property appears fundamentally suitable, including a sports hall and open spaces.” Traffic development and the connection to local public transport with buses is also secured, and residential development would also be possible there.
The CSU accuses the head of town hall of splitting the municipal council
The mayor’s approach of conducting negotiations about an alternative location met with rejection, especially in the ranks of the Christian Socialists in the municipal council. At a special meeting of the committee in mid-February, the CSU tried to focus all efforts on the new construction of the high school and the local development exclusively on the Sauerlach-Ost location, but failed. Above all, criticism is leveled at the fact that the plans of the investor, who wants to build over the approximately 15 hectare area, are well advanced and that time is running out for the new school building. “I don’t know how you can even think about an alternative location now,” says Hohenleitner. “We have time constraints.”
His parliamentary colleague Markus Hoffmann even accused Bogner of splitting the municipal council over the high school cause. “They try to insinuate that the local council is stuck because of the disagreement in the local council. I won’t let that stand. They’re driving the whole thing against the wall.”
Bogner energetically rejected the accusation and said: “I don’t split. Rather, I have to create majorities in the municipal council.” It was the investor’s plans for such a “dense” residential development in Sauerlach-Ost that split the municipal council. Bogner justified the decision to conduct parallel negotiations about buying the plot of land at Otterloher Feld: “Three years ago this alternative didn’t exist. But now we have it.”
Wolfgang Büsch from the Greens tried to cool down the overheated mood. “Each of us is emotionally affected by this topic. We are in a tense relationship,” said the third mayor, who always points out that all parties in the municipal council in the local elections called for “moderate local development”. This must be taken into account in all planning. City hall boss Bogner put it less diplomatically: “If we don’t manage to continue this crazy project in a normal atmosphere, it won’t succeed. I can tell you that right away.”
The pressure on the municipal council remains high. The first preliminary classes are to be created for the 2025/26 school year; The grammar school must be completed by the 2027/28 school year at the latest so that the community and district can benefit from state subsidies.