The municipality of Stegen in the county of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald has provisionally halted the planned Edeka-new development on the on the festival grounds during the referendum on 8 November 2026, 52% voted against selling a section of the festival field to an Edeka operator, while 48% voted in favour. According to the municipality, turnout was around 70%; the referendum is valid and binding on the municipal council municipality.
The vote followed months of debate, some of it contentious. Supporters of the project pointed to the need to secure local food shopping and provide modern jobs. Opponents criticised the loss of a central open space, feared increased traffic and objected to changes to the village’s character. At several information events in October 2026, the municipal administration and campaign groups presented arguments and planning options; the findings of an urban-planning compatibility assessment were also discussed.
In July 2026, the municipal council initiated the referendum process and published an information booklet. Internal discussions about the size and boundaries of the affected area remained contentious. Statements from the Chamber of Architects and from landscape and heritage conservation groups contributed to the public debate, without making a clear recommendation.
Following the vote, the municipal administration said it would implement the referendum result and would not sell the affected land. According to SWR the Edeka operator said it respected the result and was considering other options. The municipality had not announced any specific next steps by 9 November 2026. No legal challenges to the referendum were known at that point.
The rejection means that the planned larger supermarket on the festival field is off the table for now. For local food shopping, this means that retaining existing services or considering alternative sites will come under review again. Whether, and to what extent, the decision affects the supply situation in Stegen will depend on future decisions by the municipal council and any new proposals from operators.
The case shows that land use and retail development in smaller municipalities have Baden-Württemberg considerable potential to mobilise residents: the high turnout reflects the importance of the village’s character and public open spaces in local planning. At the same time, the referendum demonstrates the binding force of direct-democratic decisions at municipal level, which will now shape further development at the festival field in Stegen.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).