The slaughterhouse and its surroundings are a supra-communal object of protection of cantonal importance. Following a planner selection process carried out in 2017, the architectural firm Atelier M was commissioned by the City of Zurich as general planner to analyse, project and carry out the short- to medium-term maintenance and repair measures on the site. In close cooperation with the cantonal preservation of monuments, environmental and health protection and the Office for Buildings, a comprehensive catalogue of room books was drawn up to record the building fabric, condition and protection worthiness and the most necessary maintenance measures were defined, taking into account a possible change in use from 2030.

This work will be carried out between 2020 and 2024 and will focus on the preservation of the historic building fabric. For newer, non-listed components, minimal maintenance is planned. The repair and refurbishment measures are divided into four independent sub-projects. They include numerous interventions on the building envelope, roof renovations, interventions on the protected environment of the construction period, as well as the complete repair of the entrance ensemble. This consists of a gatehouse, the administrative building and the prominent residential and farm building "Alter Schlachthof". The entire project perimeter also includes the slaughter halls, the cold store and the stable and outbuildings.

The city council wants to clarify the use after 2029 at an early stage. From 2019, this will take place in four steps:

Step 1: Usage strategy

For the development of a utilization strategy, it is necessary to clarify the potential of the area and the need for location-specific urban uses. Various usage variants are developed, variants with and without slaughterhouse are developed. 

Step 2: Urban development concept, test planning

For the development of a corresponding urban development concept, test planning is suitable from experience. At the end of the second step, a concrete usage and development concept is available.

Step 3: Planning procedure

If the intended usage and development concept requires adjustments to the planning law, an additional time requirement of about two years must be taken into account.

Step 4: Competition and construction project

On the basis of the usage and development concept and the planning regulations, a competition procedure may be carried out.

The utilisation strategy roughly defines the future utilisation targets for the slaughterhouse site. For this purpose, the potential (areas) of the area, the need for urban uses (public buildings and facilities) as well as the opportunities for further development of the workplace area are shown. Variants with different usage orientations are developed and evaluated. It will be shown how additional added value for the district can be created on the site, for example by opening up the area.

During the strategy process, the needs and ideas of today's tenants, the district, the trade and other interested parties were listened to. Information events and echo chambers were held for this purpose.  At the start of the utilisation strategy, information was provided on 16 September 2019 about the planned project on site in the Schlachthof restaurant. Around 50 interested people took part in the first echo chamber on 9 December 2019. The focus was on the needs of the participants for the slaughterhouse area. At the second echo chamber, which Corona had to postpone to 14 September 2021, four groups of usage variants were presented and discussed with the approximately 70 participants.

The feedback from the two echo chambers, in addition to the assessments of the administration and external experts as well as the diverse framework conditions, formed an important basis for the conclusion of the strategy process. The city council's decision was communicated in a press release on 10 November. At the end of the strategy process, a  public closing event took place on 19 December 2022.

On 19 December 2022, a public event was held to inform about the completion of the utilization strategy for the slaughterhouse site. The heads of services for urban development, the Office for Urban Development and environmental and health protection explained the city council's decision from the beginning of November 2022 (press release) and discussed the further development process.

The participants discussed questions at tables, which were then answered by the representatives of the city. At the end, the participants noted concerns and wishes for the further planning process.

The next planning step is test planning. The Department of Urban Development will prepare and implement these in 2023-24. The interested public will again be involved and informed in an appropriate form.

On September 14, 2021, almost 70 people took part in the second echo chamber in the Bullinger church. The mayor and city councillor Andreas Hauri welcomed the representatives from the district, the trade, the current tenants, the administration, politics and other interest groups. In three rounds, the participants discussed four possible groups of usage variants and noted their concerns on desk papers. In a final round, the most important feedback on the individual variant groups was presented to the plenum. This showed how diverse and sometimes controversial the needs and demands on the slaughterhouse area are.

The think tank W.I.R.E. has prepared a study on "Developments and trends in the meat market and its effects on the Zurich slaughterhouse". At the digital information event on 2 February 2021, the authors presented the results of the study to around 50 participants.

On 9 December 2019, around 50 people found their way to the Werd administrative centre for the first echo room. In two rounds, those present discussed the current situation of the slaughterhouse site, the needs of the trade and the neighborhood and what role the slaughterhouse site could play in this. An aperitif concluded the event.

The first information event, attended by around 50 people, took place on 16 September 2019 in the Schlachthof restaurant. The planned project of the "Slaughterhouse Area Utilization Strategy" was presented and questions from those present were discussed. An aperitif concluded the information event.