Work

Commercial and industrial land conversion in Germany: extent, patterns and the role of urban policy

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: In numerous Western countries, there has been a notable trend of commercial and industrial land conversion towards other uses. Scholars contend that this shift results not only from the relocation of industry to lower-cost regions, but also from neoliberal urban policies favouring residential and office development at the expense of traditional employment lands. Germany offers a compelling case study in this regard, as its major cities have undergone significant population growth and urban renewal. At the same time, stricter regulation of markets and a less permissive planning framework in Germany may have mitigated a more extensive conversion of commercial and industrial land in urban areas. In light of this, we examine the transformation of commercial and industrial land in eleven major German city regions from 2011 to 2022, utilizing a novel data base of land use change. Our findings do not reveal a widespread trend of commercial and industrial land conversion; however, notable losses in the stock of commercial and industrial land were observed in some core urban areas. In this context, we discuss the importance of urban policy, which is currently shifting from a growth-oriented approach to a renewed appreciation for urban production.

Source: European Planning Studies

DOI: 10.1080/09654313.2026.2644411

Authors: Stefan Siedentop, Bastian Heider, Tobias Krüger, Mathias Jehling

Institutions: TU Dortmund University, Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development

Language: English

Topic: Urban Planning and Governance

Subfield: Urban Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Sustainable cities and communities

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft