Flensburg 2030 urban development strategy

In 2021, the Flensburg council passed a resolution to update the Flensburg strategy from 2013. The update is in the context of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Leipzig Charter and was to involve a high level of participation. corsus supported and managed the overall development of the Flensburg 2030 integrated urban development strategy and advised on content and objectives.

The development process was conceived as a two-year integrated approach in which the strategy’s programme of action was jointly developed by politicians, administrators, stakeholders from urban society and residents as part of an extensive participatory process. In the run-up to developing the strategy, corsus drew up an inventory in which Flensburg’s activities, programmes and measures were classified and evaluated with regard to the 17 sustainability goals and the New Leipzig Charter. In order to integrate the inventory into the development of the sustainability strategy, corsus translated key topics into strategic planning.

In continuous meetings and in thematic working groups, which corsus prepared and implemented in terms of methodology and content, corsus developed the cornerstones of the strategy with the members of the steering group. The members – 38 stakeholders from urban society from the fields of social affairs, ecology, economy, governance, culture, integration, international affairs and science as well as political representatives from the council assembly – determined the strategic fields of action and developed the new urban mission statement, guidelines and strategic and operational goals for Flensburg’s future direction by the end of 2023. The steering group defined the preservation of natural resources and living in dignity for all as guard rails and boundaries. Building on the strategic goals, the employees of the city administration concretised the operational goals and concrete measures. At closed meetings, corsus and the city’s coordination centre incorporated feedback from local political representatives for the interim results and the final version of the strategy in order to achieve political consensus.

An extensive community campaign and participation of residents accompanied the development of the catalogue of objectives and measures, the results and recommendations of which were incorporated into the strategy.

A comprehensive strategy has emerged from the joint work of the general public and the specialised public, local politicians and the administration. The seven fields of action, 33 strategic objectives and 93 operational objectives are aimed at, among other things, social cohesion, forward-looking planning and development of urban areas and the promotion of the local economy. A total of around 950 people from administration, politics and, above all, urban society took part in various participation formats.

With the city-wide mission statement developed as part of the strategy, Flensburg is assuming responsibility for a socially and ecologically productive, diverse and climate-friendly city that is oriented towards the common good. Flensburg is shaping the future in a socially just and cosmopolitan way, enabling a dignified and contented life and committing itself to regional and global justice.

“The collaboration with corsus was an enormous benefit for the city of Flensburg. Thanks to their expertise and high level of personal commitment, we were able to successfully develop our urban development strategy and achieve broad political acceptance. Corsus was instrumental in setting bold and ambitious goals and developing a common understanding of communication within the administration, including through excellent moderation and workshop facilitation”

Franziska Dettner & Tim Nebert, Flensburg 2030 coordination centre

Duration: Autumn 2021 – May 2024

The project was funded by the Service Agency Communities in One World (SKEW) as part of the Globally Sustainable Communities Schleswig-Holstein programme

Flensburg was awarded the special newcomer prize worth €10,000 in the Kommune bewegt Welt competition by the SKEW on 9 October 2014. On behalf of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the nationwide competition honours special development policy commitment in municipalities.