“Really strict regional planning laws at the state level” are needed, the regulations currently have “far too few teeth,” said Kaineder on Thursday in the 1- “Morgenjournal”. The Association of Municipalities and the SP also spoke out against the NEOS proposal to withdraw the authority to dedicate the municipalities.
The debate was initiated by Neos boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger in the ORF “Summer Talk”. In view of the recent storms and floods, she pointed out that Austria was the “world champion” in soil sealing and that this meant that rainwater could no longer properly seep away. Accordingly, she also wants to start with spatial planning: “I believe that the path is wrong, that every municipality can do it, to put it simply, every municipality builds roundabouts and shopping centers. I believe that this has to be raised to a supraregional level and that too Federal framework law needs for spatial planning. “
Video: What can the state do about the climate crisis? That said Neos boss Meinl-Reisinger in the ORF summer talk
Kstinger: “Central competence of the communities”
The minister responsible for regions, Elisabeth Kstinger (VP), has already rejected the request. “The zoning is a central competence of the communities,” said Walter Leiss from the Association of Municipalities, rejecting the request. “It falls within the municipalities’ own sphere of activity and it is simply inconceivable that the municipalities will be deprived of this competence.” The communities know best how their local living space should be designed. In any case, the municipal council is bound by the respective state laws on spatial planning when making dedication decisions.
Even the green top candidate for the upcoming state elections in Upper Austria, Stefan Kaineder, thinks it is “smart” when it comes to dedication competence “that the citizens in their villages decide how the village will develop”. But we really need strict regional planning laws at the state level. “The laws exist, they just usually have far too few teeth,” he said. “In the end, you need these most important principles such as, we no longer block our most fertile fields.” The Spatial Planning Act must regulate that there will no longer be any construction at all. He believes “the countries are in the draw”. For example, the new spatial planning law in Upper Austria, which was only passed last year, is unsuitable for curbing “this rapid development, the cementing of our homeland”. “That has to change.”
Neos call for federal law on spatial planning
The Neos took Kaininger’s statements as an opportunity to emphasize their demand: “The federal government must finally get going and put the fight against the climate crisis above its own power,” said the pink climate and environment spokesman Michael Bernhard. In addition to a federal framework law for spatial planning, a nationwide overall infrastructure plan is required, in which the states should then form the specific decision-making level for zoning and spatial planning.
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A clear no to Neos’ proposal to withdraw the dedication authority from the municipalities came from the SP on Thursday. This is “not an issue,” stressed SP environmental spokeswoman Julia Herr on the sidelines of a press conference. One can, however, discuss, for example, introducing new dedication categories, for example in social housing. When it comes to land use, it is about counteracting urban sprawl, she said – it would be important here, for example, to renovate the town center. But also protected areas would have to be expanded, said the MEP.
SP accuses Green of failure
SP housing spokeswoman Ruth Becher, however, accused the Greens in the federal government of “failure” when it comes to housing, climate and environmental protection. The construction of Austria is still going too fast, the Greens “do nothing”, she said. Becher called for measures to be taken against the development of green space outside the town center, but also located “inactivity of the green” in the urban area. Becher also criticized the “excess of investor apartments” in Vienna – where, of course, the Reds are the mayor. “In my residential district of Donaustadt, investor apartments are sprouting up like mushrooms. Instead of cheap rental apartments for Viennese people, speculative properties are being created here for foreign investors,” annoyed Becher.
That is why Vienna is calling for regular vacancy monitoring, emphasized the green housing spokesman and councilor in Vienna, Georg Prack. It should not be worthwhile to leave apartments empty. Mobilizing vacancies would also reduce land consumption.
