Dispute over Plagwitz Bürgerbahnhof: Exchange toad threatened by development!

Dispute over Plagwitz Bürgerbahnhof: Exchange toad threatened by development!

Plagwitz, Deutschland - On July 5, 2025, the city council of Leipzig made a decisive decision to the planned Bürgerbahnhof Plagwitz. On June 26, the results of a long participation process were presented, which included over 40 participants, including LOWO AG, residents, citizens' initiatives as well as environmental associations and various factions. The aim was to develop a consensus paper that combines the different interests.

The city council voted with a large majority for a decision that provides for the transition of around 60 % of the original property of LOWO AG into municipal possessions. This corresponds to an area of ​​around 12,000 m² that will be developed ecologically and sustainably in the future. The Westbahnhof should also go into the municipal hand.

species protection and challenges

A central topic in the conflict around Plagwitz Citizens' Station was the protection of species. The environmental association Ökolöwe had already requested a construction freeze in 2022 because it lacked a thorough recording of protected species. The newly commissioned species protection report has now shown that the last population of the strictly protected change toad lives in the planning area. This report shows the risk of extinction of this kind, should the planned development progress as intended. The change toad cannot simply be relocated, which the Situation continues to complicate.

Citizens and environmental associations have submitted over 900 objections to the development plan and demand both the preservation and an enlargement of the park. The ecolöwe urges the city of Leipzig to protect the reproductive location and the country habitats of the change toad and appeals to LOWO AG and the city to consider alternative locations for their blueprints. The Plagwitz Bürgerbahnhof is considered an important relaxation and natural area, the importance of which increases in the face of population growth in the west of Leipzig.

outlook and public participation

The principle of "double interior development" is pursuing the city, which is aiming for an enlargement of the Bürgerbahnhof. The initiative of Ökolöwe to call the citizens for the preservation of the green areas illustrates how important this space is for the local community. Citizens have the opportunity to support the appeal to protect the green areas and to actively contribute to the discussion.

The Ökolöwen species protection report is also available as a download and should help to bring transparency to the process and provide information for responsible planning. It remains to be seen how these developments will affect the Plagwitz community station and whether a compensation between the necessary urban development and the protection of valuable habitats can be found.

For further information on the developments around the Bürgerbahnhof LIZ. Also Ökolöwe has provided extensive information and materials on the subject.