Marzahn-Hellersdorf | Biesdorf: Fast housing construction or CDU backroom politics?

Greens and Left against rapid housing construction? There is criticism in the district of the CDU city councilor's supposed quick approach. Photo: dpa/Manuel Genolet Suddenly things have to move very quickly in Berlin-Biesdorf. In order to kickstart a construction project for 304 new apartments, district councilor Heike Wessoly from the CDU wants to ignite the “housing construction turbo”. But the process is encountering political resistance because it bypasses the district council (BVV). In addition, past business connections between a CDU politician from the district association and the project sponsor are causing irritation.

The dispute was triggered by a resolution submitted by Heike Wessoly (CDU) to the Marzahn-Hellersdorf district office on October 7, 2026. It concerns the approval of a new building project on the site of a former allotment garden in Biesdorf. A total of eleven apartment buildings and an underground car park are to be built between Cecilienstrasse, Blumberger Damm and Hiltrudstrasse. However, the template that “nd” was able to view is only aimed at members of the district office. A decision should neither be subsequently submitted to the BVV for information, nor should it be published for citizens to view. In a joint press release, the Greens and the Left from the district criticize the approach, which Björn Tielebein (Left) describes as the CDU's "backroom politics."

The dispute comes during a political transition phase. In the recent elections on September 20th, the CDU lost a significant number of votes in the district. The composition of the new district office is currently the subject of political negotiations. But unlike in the previous legislative period, the CDU will no longer have the decision-making majority in the district office. The constituent meeting of the new BVV will not take place until October 29th. According to the Greens and the Left, Wessoly's "hastily approved proposal" has an "aftertaste" that is intended to create political facts at the last minute on the basis of the existing majority situation. The CDU Marzahn-Hellersdorf had not commented on these fears to “nd” by the time of going to press.

There have been plans in the district for some time to enable housing construction in this location. Planning procedures have been underway since 2016 to develop the site in Biesdorf in accordance with building regulations. In the current draft resolution, however, Wessoly's department is aiming to circumvent the ongoing proceedings with the “housing construction turbo”. This exception to federal building law, which is limited until the end of 2030, is intended to enable faster housing construction. In addition to the waiver of the preparation of development plans, the law also allows the approval of building projects that do not fit into the existing surroundings. This has been a problem in Biesdorf so far.

There have been several complaints from residents against the project in its current form. The four to five floors of the new buildings would tower above the previously predominant development with a maximum of two-story single- and two-family houses. Against the background of these conflicts, the district called for public participation between August and September 2026 and solicited opinions on the draft “Hiltrudstrasse” development plan.

Although the “housing construction turbo” provides for the consideration of “neighboring interests” despite all the simplifications, District Councilor Wessoly wants to make a quick decision. According to the law, applications in this regard must be decided within three months, otherwise approval applies to them. Pascal Grothe from the Green Party from Marzahn-Hellersdorf is bothered by the lack of participation: "I am in favor of new apartments in Biesdorf, and I expressly welcome the fact that subsidized apartments should be built here." But anyone who wants to build more than 300 apartments in the middle of a single-family housing estate must do so openly with the neighborhood and the BVV, he said to "nd".

When asked, the district office explains that a decision on the use of the “construction turbo” for Laborgh Investment GmbH’s building application has not yet been made. The draft resolution that is circulating was prepared in order to obtain the district office's vote in advance "due to the size of the area and its political importance." This was registered for the district office meeting on October 13th. “This vote is expressly not intended according to the Berlin guidelines for the housing construction turbo,” said the district office. Responsibility for this lies solely with the responsible district councilor, i.e. Ms. Wessoly. Meanwhile, the development plan process will continue, including public participation. The district office also announced that they are currently being evaluated.

It did not mention when a decision on the planning application could be expected. But the resolution drafted by Wessoly can already be seen in which direction the decision could go. The conclusion of the report states that the district office can be recommended "to grant the necessary consent to the use of the construction turbo in favor of the permissibility of the project."

The land on which the building is to be built belongs to Laborgh Investment GmbH. On their website you can read that construction work on Hiltrudstrasse will begin this year and be completed in 2028. The status is currently stated as “in planning”.

The project is also criticized because of alleged connections between the district CDU and the project developer Laborgh. The focus is on former MP Christian Gräff, who gave up his seat in the House of Representatives prematurely in 2025. However, Gräff remains deputy chairman of the CDU Marzahn-Hellersdorf. In the past, there has been overlap between Gräff's private activities and Laborgh's owner and managing director, Florian Lanz.

From 2023 to 2026, Gräff and Lanz shared the shares of La Caire GmbH, which developed “intelligent forms of living in old age or with physical disabilities”. Lanz held the shares through his company Lago Invest GmbH. This in turn is the owner of Laborgh, which is developing the project on Hiltrudstrasse.

In addition, the names of Gräff and Lanz appeared in an association that runs a center at the Marzahn accident hospital, where those interested can find out about solutions for senior-friendly living. Gräff is co-founder of the association and honorary managing director, Lanz was chairman of the advisory board. His real estate company Laborgh was at least temporarily a member of the association. “This creates an optimal symbiosis for property acquisition and the development of new forms of living in old age,” said the website of La Caire, the joint project between Gräff and Lanz. At the beginning of 2026, La Caire was renamed and Lanz left as owner and managing director. In a reply to "nd", Christian Gräff denies current business connections with construction projects in the district and the person Florian Lanz. He had stated in the past that La Caire had not been economically active.

It is not proven whether and to what extent these connections have an influence on the Hiltrudstrasse process. A response from the CDU Marzahn-Hellersdorf regarding possible conflicts of interest in this context is pending. Björn Tielebein still gets the impression that the CDU does not care about the interests of the city's tenants. Projects like the new residential building on Hiltrudstrasse, says Tielebein, must be built in agreement with the neighborhood and not against it. In this context, Pascal Grothe points out further open questions for the neighbors in an interview with »nd«. In addition to additional burdens on traffic and buses, the provision of school places and the possible felling of old oak trees must also be considered. Whether and to what extent these consequences occur would have to be examined using expert reports.

According to the district office, public concerns regarding schools, daycare centers, playgrounds and green spaces in particular have been clarified. Necessary needs have already been met. Only a need to expand public transport areas was identified. The Laborgh will bear the costs for this. The district office continues to assume that the completed apartments will be sold to a state-owned housing association.

The Greens and the Left are calling on the district office to publish the draft resolution and submit it to the BVV. A special meeting of the Marzahn-Hellersdorfer BVV on Tuesday at 5 p.m. is intended to provide more answers; the agenda includes discussions on the situation in the district office and “on the Hiltrudstrasse construction project.” The BVV is public and can be streamed over the Internet.

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