Rheinfelden is redrawing its development zones

At the end of August, Rheinfelden will launch a public consultation on the most significant planning decision since 2004. The revised land-use plan will be available for public inspection from 1 September 2026. It will determine where, in future, urban densification, affordable housing, commercial use and open spaces can still coexist.

This move comes after a considerable delay and is having a correspondingly significant impact. The last comprehensive revision of Rheinfelden’s land-use plan dates back to 2004. The town is now revising the regulations, which will determine for the next 15 years or so which areas are designated for housing, commercial use, agriculture, recreation or infrastructure, and how development may take place within the building zones.

The public consultation process will begin on Monday 31 August 2026 at 7 pm in the music hall of the Kurbrunnenanlage at Habich-Dietschy-Strasse 14. The draft will then be available to view online from 1 September to 30 October 2026. During this period, members of the public, property owners and other stakeholders can submit questions, concerns and ideas.

Development areas under scrutiny
The revision focuses on those areas where Rheinfelden intends to continue growing without compromising the quality of the neighbourhoods. It is precisely in these areas that a new balance is being struck regarding the spatial distribution of residential and commercial uses, where short journeys are to be prioritised, and which site-specific building regulations will safeguard existing qualities. For building owners and developers, this means an early indication of where there will be greater scope for development and where regulations will be more stringent.

The town is basing the revision on the Spatial Development Concept, which the Municipal Council adopted on 19 April 2021. This serves explicitly as the basis for its incorporation into binding instruments such as structure plans and the Building and Land Use Regulations. Added to this is the revised Landscape and Recreation Structural Plan, which has been legally binding since 1 January 2025 and is now to be enshrined in land-use planning in a way that is binding on landowners.

Housing becomes a planning priority
The proposal is controversial because it is intended to fulfil several objectives simultaneously. Rheinfelden aims to promote new connections and short journeys, support affordable housing in line with the housing strategy, and at the same time safeguard nature, landscape and open space interests. Following the municipal assembly’s approval on 18 June 2025 of the counter-proposal for more affordable housing, the town council must examine, as part of the ongoing comprehensive review, which incentives can be enshrined in the land-use plan to achieve this.

During the public consultation phase, neighbourhood walks are also planned, at which specific topics will be discussed directly on site. The town intends to announce the dates at the information event and subsequently online. This means that the crucial debate on future density, land use and conservation will take place not only during the formal decision-making process, but already in the coming weeks.