Berne Objections to new hospital building in Biel withdrawn

The new construction of the Biel Hospital Center (SZB) is getting closer. The municipality of Brügg, the city of Biel, SZB AG and the Familiengärtner-Verband Biel have signed an agreement, as the parties jointly announced on Tuesday.

At the last minute, they had found a viable solution for the future of the family gardens in Brüggmoos, the parties wrote in a press release.

The SZB is planning to relocate the hospital site from the Beaumont district of Biel/Bienne to Brüggmoos. The site was determined as a suitable location for the new hospital building in a multi-stage process.

As part of the Brüggmoos zoning plan amendment by the municipality of Brügg, which is intended to enable the new hospital building and the associated outdoor space and riverbank design, the Biel Family Gardeners Association and its Brüggmoos section raised an objection, as their current location is affected.

An amicable solution has now been worked out "that satisfies all parties and has enabled the family gardeners' association and its Brüggmoos section to withdraw their objection", the statement continued. In future, no more objections will be raised from the association's ranks.

With the agreement, the city of Biel undertakes to sell 36,134 square meters of land to the municipality of Brügg. The land is located in the planned riverbank protection zone. The Brüggmoos family gardens are currently located on part of the land.

The current family garden area with 113 tenants will be closed as part of the realization of the riverside park. The municipality of Brügg will create a new family garden site for around 50 family gardeners on a reserve area of the SZB on Erlenstrasse for at least 25 years.

The relocation and construction of the new gardens will cost CHF 720,000. The municipality of Brügg, the city of Biel and the SZB will each share the costs equally.