District promotes housing in former wallpaper factory A total of 92 apartments are being built on the site of the former P + S wallpaper factory in Gummersbach.

Oberbergischer Kreis. The Oberbergischer Kreis has paved the way for funding for a housing project on the premises of the former P + S wallpaper factory in Gummersbach: Nearly 6.7 million euros have now been approved for the construction project on Kaiserstraße from the rental housing funding budget of the state of NRW. This is the highest funding amount in decades that a rental housing project has been supported with by the local approval authority. With funds from public housing promotion, 31 residential units can be built here. 

The Kaiser 90 Immobilien GmbH in Soest had already acquired the industrial site of the former wallpaper factory Pickhardt and Siebert (P + S) in 2020. The budget from which the partial funding of rental housing construction is provided is made available to the Oberbergischer Kreis as the granting authority annually by the state of NRW. In addition to the extensive "Wallpaper Factory" project at the entrance to the district capital, 14 residential units in Waldbröl and another five residential units in Bergneustadt are also being funded. For the major project in Gummersbach, even an increase in the regular budget by the ministry was necessary.

"This year, the Oberbergischer Kreis will allocate a total of around 13 million euros in funding as the granting authority. A particularly large share is flowing into this existing project in Gummersbach to promote affordable housing. Here, existing building substance is being utilized and revalued, with the aim that even people with lower incomes have a chance at good housing in a central location," says District Administrator Klaus Grootens. He thanked Julia Leuker and Patrick Deyerl, managing directors of Kaiser 90 Immobilien GmbH, who planned and will implement the construction project - worth a total of 23 million euros. Klaus Grootens praised the achievements of the district building office in approving the high amount of funding and also the good cooperation with the city of Gummersbach, which carried out the approval process so quickly. 

The 31 residential units are expected to be completed by the end of 2027 in the distinctive, elongated building along Kaiserstraße. A housing entitlement certificate is required to rent these apartments, which have 2-4 rooms and living areas ranging from 52 m² to 100 m². Depending on the income group, the cold rent is either 6.65€/m² or 7.70€/m². 

The Oberbergischer Kreis, as the approving authority, has reviewed the funding application to determine whether the conditions for public housing funding set by the state of NRW are met. This includes an administrative and technical review of the construction documents, which were submitted to the city of Gummersbach as part of the approval exemption process. If these requirements are fulfilled and sufficient budget is available, the application can be approved by the Oberbergischer Kreis. The city of Gummersbach, as the authority responsible for urban planning and building supervision, has adjusted the applicable development plan and granted an approval exemption. Regarding the standard of the funded housing units, high-quality residential construction with high energy efficiency will be ensured, says Michael Starck, head of the district building office.

Part of the former operational buildings on the site of the wallpaper factory has already been demolished. These will be replaced by a new construction with 61 apartments. This construction project on the former industrial site will be realized by the developers of Kaiser 90 Immobilien GmbH without subsidies.