City turns a deaf ear

“We’ve been waiting six years for rezoning”

A family wanting to build a house in Villach has been put off for what feels like an eternity. The town council is turning a deaf ear.

"We really don't know what to do anymore. It's been dragging on for six years, we wait and try and nothing happens," says Silvana Gritznig, who had intended to build a house in Maria Gail with her family. But this plan turned into an odyssey.

"Before we bought the plot, we naturally checked with the Villach municipal authorities to see whether everything could be rezoned without any problems. We also submitted all the expert reports - and they were all positive. Nevertheless, the file was put aside by the magistrate," says Gritznig and adds: "Suddenly we were told that we'd better sell the property because it looked bad. I then got in touch with the state of Carinthia and they arranged for something to be done." 

We have submitted all the expert reports, and yet we are being held up and treated rudely.

Silvana Gritznig, Villach

The next hurdle was not long in coming
"Suddenly there were problems with the access road, which is why we bought another plot of land, as this would make the rezoning easier." Disillusionment followed at an appointment with the Villach municipal council: "Although we were also able to present a bank guarantee and the submission plan from the master builder, city councillor Harald Sobe stopped the process.

We've been trying to get in touch with him for years now, but we can't get an appointment and are also turned away unfriendly on the phone," says Gritznig, now desperate. Even after several inquiries from the "Krone", there was no response from Councillor Sobe.