A roughly six-hectare extension
The proposed development sits between the existing "Alter Galgen" commercial and industrial estate and Eschelbach. Montabaur's official planning notice describes a site of roughly 6 hectares north of the A3 highway, directly adjoining Alter Galgen to the west. Staudter Straße forms its eastern boundary, while the Beulköpfchen hill lies to the south.
When the council began the development plan procedure in 2023, then-Mayor Gabi Wieland presented it as an extension of Alter Galgen to accommodate a bakery business, rather than a large new commercial estate.
Opponents focused on the additional land that would be sealed over and the water consumption of a large bakery. The environmental association Naturschutzinitiative (NI) called for the plan to be withdrawn. In an April 13, 2023, statement, it said it had commissioned a law firm to examine the prospects of challenging the project in court. Eschelbach's local advisory council had also opposed the development.
Plan revisions and further public review
The development plan is being prepared under the standard planning procedure, known as the Regelverfahren. At a public meeting on April 16, 2026, the city council authorized another online publication of the draft under Section 4a(3), in conjunction with Section 3(2), of the BauGB. The city's notice also provided for public inspection of the documents at the Verbandsgemeinde Montabaur administration.
A further revision became necessary after the endangered yellowhammer was found breeding on the Beulköpfchen, delaying the process again. In a council meeting reported on September 25, 2026, a majority voted to put the revised plan back on public display.
Chamber presses for a prompt conclusion
The Koblenz Chamber of Industry and Commerce (IHK) welcomed the resumption of the planning procedure on October 15, 2026, but urged the city to bring it to a swift conclusion.
The chamber said businesses in the region need room to expand after roughly ten years of planning and approval work. It ranks Montabaur among the most important commercial locations in northern Rhineland-Palatinate.
