Hannover has perhaps the strongest gardening industry in Germany and a big component of this heritage has to do with its rich tradition of allotment gardens. The city has approximately 20,000 plots that form a green belt around the city. What we’re seeing, however, is a shrinkage of these gardens due to competing investment interests, which earmark these spaces for construction. This has been met with proactive measures to safeguard these community assets while accommodating the needs of urban development. In 2016, Hannover implemented a comprehensive Kleingartenkonzept (allotment concept) in collaboration with the association of allotment gardens. This innovative strategy seeks to strike a delicate balance, preserving existing gardens for their social and ecological significance while allowing for sustainable urban growth. As part of the allotment concept, inventory assessments were conducted to identify areas vulnerable to conversion and restructuring. At the same time, a series of smaller-scale housing projects was initiated alongside the creation of replacement gardens to mitigate any losses. By addressing the immediate demand for residential spaces until the end of 2019, the conversion of allotments for housing purposes was temporarily halted, which will be further reevaluated in 2024. To address the ongoing challenge of allotment garden preservation, efforts have been launched to gradually eliminate permanent vacancies. This includes the transformation of oversized plots into smaller, more attractive gardens, enhancing accessibility, optimizing space utilization, as well as modernizing existing allotments. In addition, the city will ensure a socially responsible transition for affected tenants. Approximately 813 plots set for residential and commercial development will be replaced by buildings with tenants offered alternative allotment gardens elsewhere. This process involves reducing the size of oversized gardens, revitalizing communal areas, and upgrading infrastructure in collaboration with the Hannover district association of allotment gardeners.