Reduce consumption

Business mobilizes against new “land strategy”

Is this what a sustainable approach to land looks like?

(Bild: Lisa Mathis)

A mandatory upper limit should ensure that the consumption of land is curbed in the long term. In Vorarlberg, people think little of this - and refer to a study launched by the Chamber of Commerce.

It is well known that land has not been used very sparingly in Austria for decades. A new land strategy is now intended to change this, with a nationwide consumption limit of 2.5 hectares per day. In view of these plans, there is limited applause from the business community - this applies in particular to Vorarlberg, where a wide variety of interests have been competing for the rare free areas for years. The "Federal Guild of Construction" of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce recently commissioned a study to investigate the effects of the land strategy on the location.

 The results are now available. The essence of the study can be summarized in one sentence: Without knowledge of future needs and necessities, setting upper limits on consumption would not be expedient - a conclusion that is not particularly surprising given the client of the analysis. The same applies to the finding that Austria is "fortunately far behind in terms of land sealing" in a European comparison. The fact that 77 percent of the country's surface area is mountainous and can therefore only be used to a limited extent or not at all is deliberately concealed.

"Consumption" and "sealing"
Furthermore, according to the authors of the study, a clear distinction must be made between soil consumption and soil sealing. For example, the floor area of a detached house is sealed, but not the surrounding garden - but the entire property is considered "used soil".

The fact that this differentiation makes perfect sense is shown not least by the example of Vorarlberg: according to the study, the area used accounts for 6.8 percent of the entire state territory, whereby the sealed areas "only" make up 3.7 percent.

The figures for the recent past are interesting: according to the study, the area used in the state increased by 6.0 percent between 2015 and 2022. Once again, the authors have made an effort to calibrate: In the same period, the population would also have increased by almost the same amount, and economic growth would even have amounted to 12.3 percent.

Our aim is to promote the responsible use of land while at the same time not hindering economic development.

Marco Tittler (ÖVP), Wirtschaftslandesrat

Balancing act between the various interests
But even for the stakeholders, there is no question that careful use of the limited resource of land is the order of the day. Marco Tittler, State Councillor for Economic Affairs, believes that Vorarlberg is already well positioned in this respect, even without mandatory upper limits: "Our aim is to promote the responsible use of land resources while at the same time not hindering economic development. The new spatial planning strategies, which are based on a well-founded land policy, are the key to a sustainable future for Vorarlberg. We must reduce land consumption without jeopardizing the growth potential of our state." In recent years, the state has proven that this balancing act is feasible; despite population growth and economic growth, the use of land has decreased.

6.8 percent

of Vorarlberg's total land area is considered "used", with completely sealed areas accounting for "only" 3.7 percent.

 
Many measures, but there is a lack of emphasis

The fact is that a lot has actually happened in the last two legislative periods. The Spatial Development Plan 2030 is a strategic control instrument, the Spatial Planning Act has been amended and municipalities now have the option of levying second home and vacancy taxes. However, critics point out that many of the new rules and guidelines are too toothless, including the lack of appropriate sanctions. On the other hand, provincial policy is operating in a minefield: property is a high value in Vorarlberg - anyone who intervenes too rigidly (keyword: rezoning) can quickly get their fingers burnt.