According to the Federal Environment Agency, an average of 42 square kilometers of soil was recently built in Austria each year. With an area of around 20 football fields a day, the Alpine republic is at the top of the EU when it comes to soil sealing. Experts warn that this increases the risk of flooding, accelerates global warming and reduces biodiversity.
In the climate protection debate, Neos boss Beate Meinl-Reisinger recently called for a “federal framework law for spatial planning”. Because it is “the wrong way” for each municipality to build “roundabouts and shopping centers” as it sees fit.
There is no encouragement from other parties. He thinks it is “wise that the citizens in the villages decide how the village will develop,” said O Environment Councilor Stefan Kaineder (Greens). But stricter regional planning laws are needed. With the principle that “our most fertile fields are no longer blocked”. The new spatial planning law in Upper Austria, which was only passed last year, is also unsuitable for curbing “the cementing of our homeland”.
Agriculture Minister Elisabeth Kstinger (VP) has already rejected Neos’ demand for a federal regulation. As expected, a rejection came from the association of municipalities: “The zoning is a central competence of the municipalities,” said Secretary General Walter Leiss. They would know best how their local living space should be designed. In any case, the municipal council is bound by the spatial planning laws when it comes to dedication decisions. “Not an issue” is the shift of dedication competence to the federal government, also for SP environmental spokeswoman Julia Herr. One can discuss new dedication categories, for example in social housing. When it comes to land use, it is a question of counteracting urban sprawl. It would be important to renovate town centers and create more protected areas.
SP housing spokeswoman Ruth Becher accused the greens in the federal government of “failure” for building green spaces. Becher criticized the “excess of investor apartments” in Vienna, where the SP rules, of course. (luc)
