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Withdrawal of appeal
Green light for Sonneblick asylum center in Walzenhausen: Ausserrhoder governing council relieved
The Sonneblick asylum center will definitely open in March 2021. The last opponent withdrew his appeal. Yves Noël Balmer, director of social affairs at Ausserrhoden, is relieved. But time continues to tighten: “Now we have to run,” says the governing council.
The former Sonneblick wellness center in Walzenhausen will now accept asylum seekers.
In the end it was a hangover: due to an objection, the authorities threatened not to have time to issue the construction permit for the Sonneblick asylum center on time.
Now the advance has been successful. The canton announced on Friday that the asylum center in Walzenhausen will definitely open in March 2021. The former Landegg center, which operates with the canton of St. Gallen, will close as planned at the end of March 2021. On March 15, it will be closed. will hold an informational event for the population in Walzenhausen.
Governing Council relieved
Social director Yves Noël Balmer at Ausserrhoder is visibly relieved:
«The uncertainty was great. We are now very happy that the agreement was reached on time. “
Social Director Yves Noël Balmer
In the worst case, the new legal dispute could have lasted for months, if not years. And then the canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden would have faced great challenges.
Plan B stipulated that the canton of St. Gallen, with which Ausserrhoden runs the current Landegg center in partnership, would have temporarily housed asylum seekers in their homes. Ausserrhoden would have had to pay twice for external accommodation and Sonneblick’s rent.
Another legal option for Ausserrhoden was to distribute proportionally the persons to be cared for among the municipalities of the canton. But that would have been politically very sensitive, says Balmer.
In an interview, the SP governing council emphasized the importance of a cantonal asylum center. Due to the restrictive policy, there are fewer deportations in Switzerland, which means that the majority of asylum seekers stay. “Integration is worth investing in. Municipalities also benefit from this when asylum seekers subsequently settle with them. “
Federal court ruled in April
The current decision was preceded by a lengthy legal battle. On April 24, 2020, the Federal Supreme Court finally gave the green light. However, the community of Walzenhausen still had to formally issue the building permit. This happened on September 17. However, previous participants in the process were again given the opportunity to take legal action.
Again an appeal against the building permit was filed with the Department of Construction and Economy. As the canton has now announced, the client reached an agreement with the applicant, after which the appeal was withdrawn.
According to the statement, preparatory work on the Sonneblick will soon begin. Since the Landegg asylum center in the cantons of St. Gallen and Appenzell Ausserrhoden is due to close at the end of March 2021, they are operating under great pressure. “We have to do a sprint,” says Balmer.
With the agreement reached, it can now be guaranteed that the Landegg will be replaced by the Sonneblick and that the experienced team of employees can continue their work.
