Riskante Forschungsinfrastrukturen im Gesamtplanungsrecht

Some town and country planning decisions prepare the permission of infrastructure projects, which may contain certain scientific research risks, like a nuclear power plant for scientific research, a virus research centre, or a large hadron collider. German town and country planning law – in particular, the Federal Building Code (Baugesetzbuch) and the Federal Country Planning Statute (Raumordnungsgesetz) – does not provide specific instruments, which deal with scientific risks. Nonetheless, general instruments ensure effective administrative flexibility to deal with potentially dangerous emissions and accidents. Planning decisions by local or state authorities can, in particular, select the site where an infrastructure should be placed and secure minimum distances to vulnerable environment. Finally, planning scientific infrastructure requires planning authorities to consider the scientific needs in the light of academic freedom as a fundamental right.