The living and housing situation in the northern part of Duisburg has developed further during the last few decades - besides a changed population structure and incisive economic changes such as the loss of jobs, in sub-areas - in particular at the interface with industrial plants - there are also signs of urban planning problems and structural difficulties. The environmental situation is characterised, due to the closeness to industry, now as in the past by high air and noise pollution levels and by little greenery close to the housing areas. Added to this are demographic influences such as the decrease and ageing of the population.

Consequences of these developments make themselves felt in, among other things, a high level of vacant housing, neglected substance of building structures, a lack of investment and a poor image. Despite all the success in renewal achieved in recent years by the activities within the scope of the 'Socially Integrative City', vacant housing and the decay of building substance is concentrated in those parts of the neighbourhoods Marxloh, Bruckhausen and Beeck situated in the immediate vicinity of industry.

The adjustment of the building structures, space structures and infrastructures to changed demand and requirement structures is therefore currently and will, also in the long term, be the central challenge for sustainable urban development policy.

With the 'Duisburg-North Green Belt' project, the opportunity presenting itself is to link up with prior success in integrated neighbourhood renewal in the areas concerned and to consolidate it - even against the background of changed basic conditions.

In the context of consideration given to not idly standing by and watching the negative developments to be recorded, but, by means of orderly demolition and re-use of these housing areas, to create the prerequisites for a green belt to stabilise the neighbourhoods, Duisburg City Council passed a resolution on 'preparatory studies' according to Art. 140 et seqq. of the German Construction Code on 18 September 2006. 

EG DU carried out these studies in cooperation with the appropriate specialist departments of the City of Duisburg and with external experts.

 According to the resolution of the city council of 10 December 2007, the development procedure for the implementation of the 'Duisburg-North Green Belt' is to be implemented by EG DU as the redeveloper within a period of approximately ten years.