StadtGalerie Velbert opened its doors to visitors on 16 May 2019 and since then it has been a very popular shopping destination for the locals.<0}As the shopping centre’s developer, we’d like to follow up the WDR coverage of alleged fire protection defects with a statement. We have developed and implemented a unique fire protection concept in Germany in close collaboration with Velbert’s local authorities. The concept incorporates several fire protection safety levels to guarantee maximum safety to visitors and personnel in the event of a fire. Due to the security system’s complexity, a great many coordination and testing appointments with the authorities, fire protection assessors and the TÜV technical inspection organisation were necessary. Comprehensive proof of operability had to be provided for every single technical system. That aside, Thomas Koerver, Managing Partner at CONCEPTA, assures: “StadtGalerie Velbert has been completely safe for visitors and personnel from the day it opened its doors, otherwise we would never have gone ahead with the opening and the City of Velbert wouldn’t have given its seal of approval.”

Both the fire protection experts and the TÜV had declared StadtGalerie Velbert operationally safe in advance of the opening, and neither had any objection to the system being put into operation. However, complex systems like the one at StadtGalerie are always associated with comprehensive documentation. Over recent weeks all the partners involved in the project have been busy preparing the remaining documents.The City of Velbert brought in its own fire protection expert as a consultant. It has also now issued a public statement refuting the rumours of serious fire protection defects and informing the public that the problem was with the documentation, not the system. It also described the allegation that the fire alarm system is not connected to the fire service as incorrect. To conclude, StadtGalerie Velbert has been operationally safe from the very first day onwards and visitors can continue to look forward to a fantastic shopping and dining experience there.