Salzburg clears path for Raben logistics centre

Raben’s planned logistics centre in Salzburg’s Schallmoos district has cleared two key hurdles, ORF reported. The city’s design advisory board approved revised plans for the facility, while an assessment found insufficient legal grounds for imposing a construction ban sought by local residents.

The Dutch logistics company plans to leave its current site on Lastenstraße and move to Vilniusstraße in northern Schallmoos. The project has faced opposition from residents, who fear additional heavy-vehicle traffic.

Planning councillor Anna Schiester of the Bürgerliste said the assessment showed that the conditions for a construction ban had not been met. She said public and political pressure had helped make the project “much greener and more compatible” with its surroundings.

The Future Schallmoos citizens’ initiative continues to oppose the plans. According to previous estimates, the new location would generate about 240 lorry trips a day, raising concerns about noise, heavy traffic and congestion in the already heavily burdened district.

Anna Glaeser of the initiative said the safety of routes to schools had long been a concern for parents’ groups. The initiative had hoped a construction ban could at least stop or delay the project, but that option is now no longer available following the assessment.

Raben plans to submit its building application as soon as possible after the design advisory board approved the revised plans last week. Site manager Markus Roider said the new centre would not be ready for about two years.

The company’s lease at its current Lastenstraße location expires this year. As an interim solution, Raben is expanding its existing warehouses in Wals-Siezenheim and plans to move part of its operations there from Monday.

The dispute is unlikely to end with the latest decisions. Raben can continue advancing its project, while residents remain focused on the expected impact of hundreds of additional lorry trips each day.