The cities of Braunschweig, Salzgitter and Wolfsburg, together with the districts of Gifhorn, Goslar, Helmstedt, Peine and Wolfenbüttel as well as the Greater Braunschweig Regional Association and Allianz für die Region GmbH, want to become the "Zukunftsregion SüdOstNiedersachsen". Together, they are applying to the state's "Zukunftsregionen in Niedersachsen" funding program. Citizens can get involved at www.salzgitter.de/zukunftsregion (opens in a new tab).
"It is a strong signal to the outside world that the stakeholders in our region want to work together under one roof on the challenges of the future and are pulling in the same direction. This merger - beyond the existing administrative boundaries - will release synergies and trigger development impulses for the further transformation in our region," says Lord Mayor Frank Klingebiel.
The partner municipalities have identified three lead projects for the Zukunftsregion: Joint Regional Energy Strategy, Regional Land and Water Management Concept and Regional Innovation and Transformation Management. In future, projects are to be developed and implemented in these areas together with economic and social partners and citizens.
In order to ensure attractive living conditions in all parts of Lower Saxony in the long term with a new regional policy instrument, the Lower Saxony Ministry for Federal and European Affairs and Regional Development (MB) has launched a new instrument to promote and support regional development processes until 2027: the Zukunftsregionen. The municipalities that have joined together in these regions will receive financial support of up to 210,000 euros per year for regional management from European Union funds. At the same time, projects are subsidized with a funding rate of 40 percent.
The Zukunftsregionen are selected and recognized in a two-stage process. In the first stage, interested regions should express their interest. This has already taken place. The project partners are now drawing up a future concept for the Zukunftsregion SüdOstNiedersachsen.
Citizens can participate in the development of the future concept. All project partners have therefore set up portals for the Zukunftsregion on their websites. In Salzgitter, this is www.salzgitter.de/zukunftsregion. (opens in a new tab) In addition to lots of information and an explanatory video, the website offers the opportunity to submit suggestions and ideas for the Zukunftsregion by June 15, 2022.
