Provincial ÖVP blocks

A “red” Danube island for Korneuburg

"Nature instead of real estate speculation": SPÖ provincial councillor Sven Hergovich and Korneuburg's deputy mayor Bernadette Haider-Wittmann want a Danube island.(Bild: Molnar Attila)

A green nature refuge instead of luxury apartments? The future of the historic shipyard site in Korneuburg - which was supposed to be built on - is a hot topic of discussion.

Following the shipwreck of the Signa real estate development project, the SPÖ is calling for "an end to speculation" about the shipyard site in Korneuburg. As reported, a residential project was to be realized on the site. "The real estate speculation here must be stopped before it comes to a rezoning by the city," demanded Deputy Mayor Bernadette Haider-Wittmann and Provincial Councillor Sven Hergovich (SPÖ) directly on the shipyard site yesterday. The land, which is currently still owned by Signa, is to be "bought free" by the city and state. "We need to secure the land now. Lower Austria can thus preserve an island on the Danube," they say.

The area on the mainland of the shipyard is to be developed in the long term - also according to the wishes of the SPÖ - and offer affordable housing. Of course, listed buildings will remain untouched.(Bild: Molnar Attila)

Hergovich warns: "If the land on the shipyard peninsula is reclassified as building land, the price will change from 11 to 44 million euros. The liquidator would pass the profit on to creditors."

As the city of Korneuburg cannot afford to purchase the land on its own, Hergovich is proposing a financial "lifeline" from the state. At the next meeting of the provincial government, he wants to submit an application for the province to share the costs. "Then nothing will stand in the way of a Danube island in Korneuburg," he says. Hergovich and Haider-Wittmann want to get the provincial organization "Natur im Garten" on board for the renaturation work.

Deputy Mayor Haider-Witmann: "The area, which does not belong to the city, has already changed hands several times. Now we have the unique opportunity to acquire this land and take control of it ourselves."(Bild: Molnar Attila)

However, the (regional) People's Party seems unwilling to talk. Regional Managing Director Matthias Zauner: "Existing contracts and plans cannot simply be thrown overboard from one day to the next. A vision was developed, incidentally with the SPÖ Korneuburg. Due to the Signa insolvency, a new partner will have to be found if the project company is sold. However, this does not change the fact that the concept developed for the shipyard is innovative and modern. There is therefore no reason to shelve this project just because of an unfinanceable fantasy proposal by Provincial Councillor Hergovich."

Haider-Wittmann counters: "The development paper included infrastructure measures, for example, which Signa will finance. That won't happen now anyway. We see the buyout as a unique opportunity that should be seized."