From referendum to construction: Amberg’s citizens’ jury
In Amberg, Bavaria, the impact of combining a local referendum with a Citizens’ Jury is becoming visible. Five years after residents voted on the future of the former Bürgerspital site, and almost four years after a randomly selected Citizens’ Jury presented its recommendations, construction work on the new “Spitalgraben” residential development began on 8 October 2026. By summer 2028, 56 barrier-free apartments are expected to be completed in the historic city centre, including 14 subsidised apartments.
The start of construction marks a significant milestone following years of controversy. The city had originally sold the site to a private investor, but the development plans met with opposition. The citizens’ initiative Interessengemeinschaft Menschengerechte Stadt (Citizens’ Initiative for a People-Friendly City) launched a petition for a local referendum. Among its concerns were excessive building density, potential damage to the historic surroundings and the loss of municipal influence over the development.
In the referendum held on 26 September 2021, the initiative prevailed. The original development plans were abandoned. Instead, the city council decided to convene 40 randomly selected residents to discuss the future of the site.
From public protest to a Citizens’ Jury
The Citizens’ Jury met five times in October and November 2022. Experts provided information on urban planning, heritage conservation, sustainability and climate protection. An advisory board, which also included representatives of the citizens’ initiative, accompanied the process.
The recommendations were wide-ranging: small-scale, low-density development, plenty of greenery, public spaces, affordable housing, a socially diverse residential community and as little additional car traffic as possible. Jury members also wanted the project to become a model for resource-efficient construction.
The then mayor, Michael Cerny (CSU), described the process as “a very successful method of citizen participation”. He considered the Citizens’ Jury a successful experiment. In January 2023, the city council’s building committee unanimously endorsed its recommendations. The municipal administration subsequently developed several planning concepts.
Recommendations shape the tendering process
The Citizens’ Jury’s influence extended beyond the political debate. The city incorporated its recommendations into the criteria for awarding the development contract. Proposals were assessed on urban design, architecture, public space, housing concepts, climate protection and mobility.
In July 2024, the city council selected the proposal submitted by the Werkvolk housing cooperative. The project includes apartments of different sizes and price categories, commercial premises and an underground car park.
At the construction launch, Werkvolk board member Peter Braun emphasised the aim of creating affordable housing for people with different incomes. “Good, secure housing must not be a luxury,” he said. According to the cooperative, the development will also include a physiotherapy practice, a café and additional commercial space.
Construction begins after twelve years
At the symbolic groundbreaking ceremony on 8 October 2026, former mayor Michael Cerny recalled the lengthy disputes surrounding the site. What had once been a source of conflict was now becoming a development that would bring new housing to the city centre.
The current mayor, Michael Fritz (Free Voters), also welcomed the start of construction, referring to the numerous obstacles and changes to the plans over the years.
The precise design of the public open spaces has yet to be finalised. The Citizens’ Jury had also made recommendations on this issue. Between 3 September and 2 October 2026, residents were invited to submit their ideas through an online survey.
“Citizen participation is a central pillar of our urban development,” Fritz said. The administration will examine the proposals before the city council makes its decision.
An example of how democratic processes can work together
The Amberg case illustrates how local referendums and Citizens’ Juries can complement one another. First, a public vote stopped a controversial construction project. A randomly selected group of residents then developed recommendations for a new plan. The city council subsequently translated these recommendations into requirements for prospective developers.
Whether all the Jury’s proposals will ultimately be implemented can only be assessed once construction is complete. What is already clear, however, is that its recommendations influenced both the political decision-making process and the criteria used to select the development proposal.
A long-running dispute over a city-centre site has thus evolved into a construction project whose development was shaped by residents through several forms of democratic participation.