05/28/2018

Groß Behnitz – The Landgut Stober estate in Groß Behnitz plans to increase its bed capacity by building another hotel. Owner Michael Stober recently submitted two planning applications to the local authorities. If the project is implemented as planned, around 175 single rooms would be added to the existing 128 double rooms in the organic hotel. The estate aims to attract primarily conference guests.

The plan is to convert an old agricultural barn behind the existing hotel into 26 rooms and to accommodate the remaining rooms in a new building along Behnitzer Dorfstraße. To this end, the former ox and piglet barn is to be reconstructed in a similar style, but with three floors instead of the original two. The building would be 83 metres long. A photovoltaic system is planned on the gently sloping pitched roof on the side facing the street.

STOBER SUBMITS REVISED DESIGN

As Gunther App from the Nauen city administration explained at a meeting of the building committee, the building authority considers the project generally eligible for approval. The city, on the other hand, initially expressed concerns “about the sheer size of the building”. Stober responded to this and presented a revised design in which a glass structure provides a transition between the organic hotel and the new building.

This creates a visual separation between the two buildings. “The building authority welcomes this solution as a way of reducing the visual bulk of the new building,” said App. Stober also commented: “I’m glad that the heritage conservation and fire safety authorities have indicated that they could support the proposal.”

TWO-LEVEL PARKING DECK PLANNED

The question of parking has not yet been resolved. Stober would like to convert the current car park opposite the hotel into a two-level parking deck. The lower level would be built 1.20 metres below ground level to keep the overall height of the structure down. 170 parking spaces would then be available.

The city administration supports this solution – even if a parking deck is quite unusual for a village. “The existing car park would be used much more efficiently, with parking spaces concentrated in one central location,” explained App. This would reduce traffic caused by drivers searching for parking spaces.

ALTERNATIVE VIEWED CRITICALLY

By contrast, the city regards the alternative of creating 58 parking spaces in the courtyard of the listed historic estate complex as “rather critical” and potentially detrimental to the historic character of the estate. However, the corresponding local development plan would need to be amended for a parking deck.

“My idea is to start construction in the autumn so that the hotel could be completed by June or July of the following year,” explained Michael Stober. He plans to present the project to the residents of Groß Behnitz shortly – at a public meeting or a meeting of the local council.

NOT ALL CONTRACTS HAD BEEN FINALISED

Stober explained that the project had not yet been presented to local residents because not all the contracts had been finalised. “But I now have all the land needed for the project,” he told the committee.

Stober also announced that the new hotel would create 15 to 20 new jobs. At the time, his company employed 60 permanent and 150 seasonal workers.

By Andreas Kaatz

Source:

http://www.maz-online.de/Lokales/Havelland/Nauen/Hotelneubau-im-Landgut-geplant