Speyer’s Container Controversy: A Look at the Legal Battle over Asylum Housing

The city of Speyer in Rhineland-Palatinate is moving forward with plans to build containers for asylum seekers on a public transport company site, despite opposition from some residents. In March 2024, a citizens’ initiative called “Speyer can do more than just containers!” was formed in opposition to this plan. The initiative took the matter to the administrative court in Neustadt, Rhineland-Palatinate, which determined that the request was not urgent.

The municipal council of Speyer had approved the construction of an asylum accommodation in container form on a property owned by the municipal transport company. The decision was made in response to the expected exhaustion of existing accommodation capacities by autumn. However, the citizens’ petition against the accommodation of asylum seekers in containers was rejected as inadmissible by the city.

Despite the rejection of the urgent application, opponents of the container accommodation plan may still appeal the decision to the Higher Administrative Court of Rhineland-Palatinate. The city administration had previously demonstrated that accommodation for refugees could be provided without the use of containers.