Monheim City Council Pauses Bayer Leverkusen’s Training Facility Plans Over Ecological and Traffic Concerns

Bayer Leverkusen's plans to build a new training and youth facility in Monheim have been halted following a secret ballot by the city council, which cited concerns about disproportionate land use, traffic congestion, and ecological impact. The council vote, supported by members of CDU, SPD, Greens, and FDP, was not a total rejection but a call for revising the project to better suit the city’s needs, according to CDU faction leader Markus Gronauer. The project, strongly backed by former Mayor Daniel Zimmermann, envisioned a campus spanning approximately 22 hectares with twelve football pitches and numerous buildings.

Bayer urgently needs new training grounds as existing facilities face displacement due to expansions of the A1 and A3 highways, which also demand updated parking infrastructures compliant with DFL regulations. Public response has been divided: a pro-project petition has gathered over 12,500 signatures, including endorsements from former players, while an opposing petition has collected about 2,500 signatures.

Bayer’s sports director Simon Rolfes stressed the critical importance of the campus, warning that without these facilities, the club may struggle to remain competitive for the Bundesliga championship in the coming decade. The council's decision marks a pivotal moment for the project’s future, signaling a potential redesign but affirming the club’s commitment to a Monheim location as essential for sporting success.