Göttingen’s CDU reignites debate over *Kebab Mile* in city centre plan
Göttingen’s CDU faction has pushed for a revision of the city’s Inner City Master Plan before an upcoming council meeting. Their proposal focuses on the so-called Kebab Mile—a short stretch of Weender Straße lined with migrant-run businesses. Critics, however, argue the demands repeat old debates and lack fresh solutions.
The CDU’s motion highlights concerns about the northern city centre, particularly the 100-metre section known as the Kebab Mile. This area, on the east side of Weender Straße, hosts three kebab shops, two bakeries, and a barbershop, many operated by migrants. Across the street, the Carré shopping centre has struggled with high vacancy rates and frequent tenant changes since 2021.
The party insists on ‘preserving functional diversity’ and preventing ‘monocultures’ in the city centre. Yet opposition from the SPD and Greens has been sharp. They dismiss the proposal as recycled ideas from 2020, when the original master plan was drafted with input from urban planning offices. SPD and Green councillors accuse the CDU of ‘unhelpful fearmongering’ over the Döner Mile, claiming the motion adds little of practical value.
Francisco Welter-Schultes, a city councillor, went further, calling the CDU’s approach ‘more spectacle than substance’. He also pointed to the city’s own shortcomings in enforcing existing guidelines. The debate now heads to the municipal council, where tensions over urban development and migrant businesses are set to continue.
The CDU’s call for revisiting the master plan has reignited discussions about Göttingen’s city centre. With the council meeting approaching, the focus remains on whether the proposal will bring meaningful change or simply reopen old divisions. The outcome could shape future policies on vacancies, business diversity, and urban planning enforcement.
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