The construction of the new Mainz-Mombach high school will be delayed.

The reason for this is an objection lodged by a third party against the building permit that was granted. In addition, an application for preliminary legal protection was filed with the administrative court. The aim of this was to obtain an order suspending the effect of the objection, i.e., to ensure that construction work could not begin until a decision had been made on the objection and any legal proceedings in the main case. This urgent application was rejected by the administrative court because, after a summary examination, the court found no violation of neighboring rights and ruled that no "third-party protection standards" had been violated.

Of course, the administration assumes that the building permit issued by the lower building supervisory authority was issued lawfully and will be confirmed in the appeal proceedings. Nevertheless, in order to minimize risk, particularly with regard to the costs incurred for the new building, the administration will await the decision of the city law committee on the main issue before making a decision on the start of construction.

This approach is in line with the recommendation to all private builders whose building permits are subject to appeal. Even if the decision in the preliminary injunction proceedings regularly provides an indication of the outcome of the main proceedings, it is conceivable that the facts of the case could be assessed differently upon closer examination in the main proceedings, i.e., in the preliminary proceedings before the city law committee and, if necessary, in subsequent legal proceedings before the administrative court.

The appeal is currently pending before the city law committee for a decision. Whether the appeal proceedings will then be concluded or whether legal proceedings before the administrative court will follow will only become clear after the relevant deadlines have expired following the decision of the city law committee.

As the outcome and duration of the proceedings described cannot be predicted by the city, it is currently not possible to give a date for the start of construction.

The current situation poses particular challenges for all those involved, especially the school community. The administration is in close contact with the school and the relevant authorities in order to work out a viable solution for the further development of the school as quickly as possible.

The primary goal is to ensure that Mombach High School can continue to grow unimpeded at its Mombach location as planned, regardless of the duration of the proceedings described above, until the new building is completed.

And regardless of the ongoing appeal proceedings, the school will be consistently strengthened in its development, while the school community can count on the full support of the city and the district.

As part of the construction of the new high school, a total of ten trees (five protected trees and five trees that are not covered by the tree protection ordinance) must be felled on Monday, February 24, 2025. This will be done on the basis of the building and felling permits that have already been granted. Due to the location of the building, these trees cannot be preserved, even though this has been thoroughly reviewed once again. Most of the trees affected are located in or directly adjacent to the excavation pit for the new building, which is why they unfortunately cannot be preserved.

However, thanks to the successful redesign of the construction site access road for the interim building and the new high school building via the Karlsstraße access road and not, as originally planned, along the eastern boundary of the school grounds, it was fortunately possible to preserve 23 trees. The desire to preserve the trees was the main factor that prompted the redesign of the access road via Karlsstraße. This request was granted during the public participation process and was implemented by redesigning the construction site access road.

The new high school in Mainz-Mombach is to be constructed using a hybrid timber construction method that is both resource-efficient and CO2-reducing. This forward-looking construction method is intended to ensure that the building not only meets the visual and functional requirements of a modern school, but also makes an active contribution to climate protection. In addition, the roof of the high school will be equipped with a green roof, which will not only contribute to a pleasant building climate and savings in energy costs, but also improve the microclimate. A photovoltaic system on the roof will cover part of the high school's solar power requirements, thus ensuring an efficient and environmentally friendly energy supply for the school.

There have been a number of developments at the "Am Lemmchen" school site in recent months. The new temporary cafeteria at the new school site has been in operation since the beginning of April 2024. So far, this temporary solution has already been used extensively by the elementary school students. This measure has ensured that the children are well catered for during the construction phase of the new school site.

At the start of the new school year 2024/25, the temporary school for the new high school also opened. Since August 26, 2024, 5th and 6th grade classes have been taught here.

The temporary school is therefore an important transitional solution until the planned buildings are completed and ready for occupancy. The students and staff of the school can then look forward to modern and well-equipped rooms that meet the requirements of contemporary teaching.

On March 20, 2023, the Am Lemmchen school site in Mainz-Mombach opened its doors for a special event: Citizens had the opportunity to gain insights into the construction of the temporary building for the high school and cafeteria during a site tour and to address their questions directly to the Mainz Building Management and the school board.

At the beginning, participants were welcomed by moderator Erik Flügge and senior construction director Gilbert Korte in the cafeteria of the temporary building. Mr. Flügge outlined the schedule for the afternoon and pointed out that although the temporary building was a temporary solution, it met the highest construction standards. It already reflects the structure of the future high school in parts. In his welcoming speech, Mr. Korte emphasized the great importance of the new school center for Mainz and explained the basic concepts behind the buildings and the schedule for the completion of the entire school site. The first school classes are expected to be able to move into the interim building of the high school as early as this summer.

During the tour, citizens had the opportunity to express their questions and concerns. The concerns of the interested citizens were diverse and a range of different topics were discussed, including the specific choice of materials, built-in safety technology, air quality assurance, and traffic planning. Representatives of the city administration and employees of the container company Adapteo took the time to address each question and explain the individual construction measures and their background.

Of particular interest were the very specific questions asked by the students present, which provided insights into the needs of the future users of the school grounds. All their questions were answered and they were assured that their concerns would be taken into account in the design of the school center. The students themselves answered some of the adults' questions about modern learning and explained how this is already being implemented in the Lerchenberg building.

After the tours, the dialogue continued in the cafeteria, and further questions were discussed in one-on-one conversations with those responsible. The event ended with closing remarks from Mr. Korte, who thanked the participants for their interest and constructive contributions. Feedback from the participants showed that the site visit at the Am Lemmchen school location was very well received and positively accepted. This type of transparent communication will be maintained in future steps.

You can find detailed minutes of the event here: