We’re 270,000 people at the moment and we want to become more, which is why we launched a growth campaign. Our target is a figure of 300,000+. What benefits do we expect from the population growth?
The district of Düren has been growing for over seven years in a row, and more than 270,000 people live here spread throughout five towns and ten municipalities. Already today more people move to the district of Düren than move away. This is why we speak of a migration surplus, and this is highest in the age group 30 to 49. The district of Düren is also particularly popular with families, and the average number of children per household with children is 1.6.
There are calculations on how the population will develop over the next few years. The State Office for Information and Technology of North Rhine-Westphalia (IT.NRW) assumes that the increase will continue as in previous years at around +0.5 per cent per annum, but we’ve already exceeded this, meaning the Düren district is expanding faster than expected. The district, towns and municipalities want to shape this growth in a proactive way.
We want to grow quickly
For the future, the signs in the Düren district continue pointing towards growth. Demand for property has risen noticeably in past years, and this is also because many people are no longer able or want to pay the rising rents and real estate prices in the urban areas of Aachen, Cologne, Bonn and Düsseldorf. Young families, and also older people, will find interesting alternatives in the Düren district. Since the coronavirus crisis one thing has become clear – more and more people are turning their backs on the big cities.
The district of Düren wants to make the most of this trend. It wants to promote and shape population influx and growth with additional incentives, and that includes a ‘welcome culture’ for example. People and companies interested in the Düren district can find a first point of contact at the Welcome Center in Düren if they want more detailed advice and assistance.
We want to grow qualitatively
The district of Düren launched the 300,000+ growth campaign in 2020. This not only concerns increasing the number of residents but also specifically targeting different population groups – it is therefore about quantitative and qualitative growth. This means firstly more people, and secondly, more diversity.
For example, the cities and municipalities are developing modern housing options that are attractive for young families, skilled workers, academics and people who commute to nearby conurbations. Growth also has advantages for the municipalities themselves because more inhabitants means a better quality of life in the localities due to:
- Solid households
- Good investment climate
- Future-proof infrastructure
- Diverse educational opportunities
- Secure workplaces
- Secured local supply
- More retention of purchasing power
Growth and sustainability
Growth should not be at the expense of the climate and environment. The district of Düren aims to be climate-neutral by 2035, which is why we set the course for more sustainability some time ago via a climate protection programme. The goal of the district’s hydrogen campaign is to ensure that buses travelling longer routes are powered by regionally produced green hydrogen in the future. As part of the “Climate Forest District Düren” campaign, citizens throughout the district are planting a total of 300,000 trees, thereby making an active contribution to the preservation of biodiversity.
The district, cities and municipalities are also planning to adopt a joint sustainability declaration called “Miteinander.Nachhaltig.Wachsen” [Growing.Sustainably.Together]. In it, they reaffirm their intention to shape growth in line with the global sustainability goals. Among other things, it states “Innovation and sustainable growth should be given strategic importance in all municipal areas.” The aim is a sustainable, fair policy that supports economically, ecologically, culturally and socially sustainable development for all generations. This explicitly includes young people – the district of Düren is investing 100 million euros in the expansion of four vocational colleges to give them the best possible start to their professional careers.
