On 1 March 2021, the four sectoral plans will come into force – an important day, according to Turmes, as this will finally clear up some important details in the country's development plans. Certain zones will then have very clear purposes: zones for building housing units, zones for building leisure and sporting centres and facilities, and zones dedicated to protecting the environment. The sectoral plans go back to an initiative launched 18 years ago by the then-Minister Michel Wolter from the Christian Social People's Party (CSV).
The main principle, Turmes explained, is that construction work will not take place in green zones anymore. New housing units and industrial zones are to be built on plots of land that are already in use, for instance on industrial wasteland. This naturally requires a bit of effort, but the environmental administration is well prepared for the task, according to Turmes.
The country's municipalities play a key role when it comes to spatial planning. According to Turmes, the government hopes that they will be able to help in creating more affordable housing. However, the state's aid is tied to certain conditions: if it subsidises the construction of certain housing units, then those units will always have to remain affordable.
The minister pointed out that only 3% of Luxembourg's housing space is publicly owned. In the Netherlands, this figure jumps up to 30%, and in Austria's capital Vienna as high as 50%. Luxembourg has a lot of work to do in this area. The high prices on the private housing market are a problem that affects large parts of the country's society, Turmes stated.
It would be counterproductive in this context if certain wealthier municipalities jumped the queue in the creation of social housing, the minister said. The cooperation with the Association of Luxembourg Cities and Municipalities (Syvicol) is thus of prime importance.
Turmes' party, the Green Party, is well-known for its unambiguous positions regarding environmental protection. However, Turmes stressed, it is not the party's intention to dictate to people where they should live, whether in a house in the countryside or in a flat in an urban area.
The most important aspect is that the country's neighbourhoods are "intelligently" planned, and this requires efforts from everyone involved. For Turmes, the ideal neighbourhood of the future features lots of grass and nature and does not give any prioritisation to cars.
The minister also defended the CO2 tax, pointing out that a social redistribution is part of the plan for those that can least afford it. The rest of the funds are being used to subsidise environmentally sustainable improvements, such as polystyrene-free house fronts, sustainable heating, or electric cars.
When asked about Covid-19 vaccines, Turmes stressed that the EU must work alongside the USA and the UK regarding authorisation. Turmes is a former Member of the European Parliament.
In the interview, he also revealed that he had encouraged current Green Party MEP Tilly Metz to keep pushing the European Commission on this particular issue. The minister cited the vaccine from US manufacturer Johnson&Johnson as an example: the product is currently being authorised for use in the US, but then it will take another three to four weeks until it will also be authorised in the EU.
A less than ideal situation, according to Turmes, who also acknowledged that the EU's vaccination strategy is not going as well as it could be.
