Vorarlberg conservation law changes face criticism over building controls

Planned changes to Vorarlberg’s nature conservation law could reduce scrutiny of soil sealing and greenery in built-up areas, the Bodenfreiheit association has warned, according to ORF. The association’s managing director, Kerstin Riedmann, said projects in designated areas might receive less detailed review in future.

The state government plans to revise the Law on Nature Conservation and Landscape Development and simplify approval procedures. Projects in legally designated commercial areas would largely no longer require approval. Several thresholds would also be raised, including those for riverside protection zones and car parks, the state announced at the end of June.

Riedmann said it was important, especially for larger projects, to assess how much land would be sealed, whether developments would create only gravel or stone surfaces, and which trees would be planted. If municipalities did not set clear requirements, she said, these issues could more easily be overlooked.

Relying only on common sense and voluntary action would not be enough, Riedmann said. After this year’s record summer, built-up areas needed more trees and fewer sealed surfaces, she said. She also questioned why environmental expertise should play a smaller role in future procedures.

In her experience, conservation officials take up little time during construction negotiations but can provide important advice on issues such as greenery and soil sealing.

Bodenfreiheit is also calling for subsidies to remove sealed surfaces. Riedmann said the association would work with municipalities this year to unseal 10 sites within built-up areas. Workshops would show how smaller surfaces, including private parking spaces and driveways, could be broken up and planted.

Municipalities were highly interested, Riedmann said, but tight local budgets often made implementation difficult. She said the state could therefore consider providing greater support for such measures.

The proposed conservation law amendment is expected to enter the consultation process soon. The state government aims to bring it into force in spring 2027, seeking a balance between nature conservation, economic interests and social needs. State Councillor Christian Gantner and Governor Markus Wallner, both of the Austrian People’s Party, said when announcing the plans: “Rules must help, not hinder.”