The association of municipalities in the Ahrtal valley that constitutes Altenahr, with its 12 local communities, is currently facing major challenges. In July 2021, torrential rainfall caused the river Ahr to burst its banks and flood the area to an unprecedented extent, causing immense damage and mass destruction. The restoration of permanently functioning housing and infrastructure will take years, both in Altenahr and in the numerous other municipalities along the river Ahr affected by the floods. Now, in the wake of the catastrophe, the residents of the affected municipalities are facing mammoth tasks in terms of urban planning and urban-planning-related law.

Between January 2022 and August 2023, AS+P constantly advised and supported the association of municipalities in Altenahr and made itself available to the area’s local administration as a competent contact for numerous specialized issues. Among other things, an overarching guiding concept for the relevant urban planning was drawn up, which defined the basic direction of the urban planning required by the association of municipalities for the future. Furthermore, various ideas were put together in collaboration with local planning bureaus in order to create a built environment that is “flood-resilient”. In this context, AS+P put in regular appearances at the provisional town hall used by the local association of municipalities and was thus able to coordinate all the relevant concepts on the ground.

The range of activities addressed included coordinating the redevelopment of the relevant municipalities. After consultations with the Rhineland Palatinate’s Ministry of the Interior and for Sport, and with the involvement of the authorities responsible for managing the requisite structures and approving them in the North region and the local government in Ahrweiler, it was possible to define the priorities for the agreed development measures, the possibilities available for funding, and the steps to be taken so that all these things could be implemented.