First fact-finding trip to the Brandenburg-Lubuskie joint interaction area: Administrative staff from the Lubuskie Voivodeship visit Cottbus and the Lusatian Lake District
Administrative staff from the Marshal’s Office of the Lubuskie Voivodeship and various municipalities in the Lubuskie Voivodeship attended the first fact-finding trip to Cottbus and the surrounding area on 16 and 17 September 2025 to gain insights into structural change and energy as part of the ‘BB-L Interconnection. Vision for a joint interaction area’ project.
The aim of the trip was to learn about current structural changes in Lusatia, to gain first-hand knowledge of best practice examples and to deepen the professional exchange between institutions and regions in the long term.
First day: 16 September 2025 – Boomtown Cottbus in Transition
The trip started on the morning of 16 September 2025 at the Joint Spatial Planning Department’s premises in Cottbus. In a series of keynote speeches, participants were given a thorough overview of key topics: Heidrun Lochmann (GL4) explained the role of recultivating mining areas, Sven Tischer, Office Manager to Dr Klaus Freytag, the Minister-President’s Representative for Lusatia, highlighted the comprehensive structural changes in the region, and Dr Gustav Lebhardt presented the work of the Competence Centre for Regional Development (KRE) at the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR).
The group then visited the BTU Cottbus-Senftenberg campus, followed by lunch together in the canteen. After a short break at the hotel, the programme continued with a guided tour of Cottbus led by Stefan Simonides-Noack and Markus Hentschel from the city administration (Urban Development Department). The route took them to important landmarks in the city’s development, such as the railway station area with the Wandel.Werk.Zukunft information centre, the ICE factory, the Lausitz Science Park, which is currently under construction, and Cottbuser Ostsee. Key issues relating to urban development, the energy transition and the expansion of renewables were discussed. The first day ended with a group walk to the historic city centre and dinner at the Stadtwächter restaurant.
Tour of the Brandenburg University of Technology campus in Cottbus.Bild: Ralf Ullrich
To get started, participants visited Wandel.Werk.Zukunft, the information centre at Cottbus railway station, where they learned about structural change and its significance for Cottbus.Bild: Antje Wilke, GLSecond day: 17 September 2025 – Lusatia, Land of Energy and Lakes
The second day began with an excursion to Großräschen. There, Mayor Thomas Zenker informed the group about urban development in the context of the ambitious open-cast mining succession landscape project at Lake Großräschen, which is funded in part by federal funds in accordance with Section 4 of the Administrative Agreement on Brown Coal Remediation and by funds based on the Structural Reinforcement Act for Coal Regions. After refreshments on the picturesque lakeshore with a view of the IBA terraces and vineyards, the trip continued to the Schwarze Pumpe power plant, one of the most important energy centres in the region. During a two-hour guided tour of the power plant facilities, participants gained a comprehensive insight into the energy management processes and structures on site.
The fact-finding trip ended with a joint lunch at the restaurant Zur Post in Spremberg before the group departed for their return journey.
Cottbuser Ostsee at the base of the observation tower in Cottbus-Merzdorf.Bild: Antje Wilke, GL
On the pier at Lake Großräschen, on the shore of which are the IBA terraces with tourist information and vineyards.Bild: Grzegorz KwiatkowskiThe fact-finding trip provided an intensive and multifaceted insight into the challenges and opportunities of structural change in Lusatia. The close link between the energy transition, regional economic development and forward-thinking urban planning was made particularly evident. The exchange with experts from administration, science and local politics provided valuable impetus and created a solid basis for further cooperation in the BB-L Interconnection project.
The second fact-finding trip is scheduled to take place in October 2025 in the Lubuskie Voivodeship and in Warsaw.
Bild: Interreg Brandenburg-Polska