It takes five years and more to process development plans in the capital. A lawyer now offers the lazy people to handle the proceedings for them.
The dissatisfaction of the project developers in the Mur metropolis is growing by the day. Numerous contractors have been waiting for the issuance of development plans for more than five years. The law stipulates that the municipality needs a maximum of 18 months for this. “The situation is catastrophic. When I hear that the urban planners are no longer accepting building plans this year, I can’t figure it out,” contractor and former guild master Alexander Pongratz shakes his head.
Waited four years for a decision
He refers to a decision of the Constitutional Court, which has already lifted the obligation to develop a property in Graz-Gries. The owner had waited four years for a decision from the city, then sued — “and saying he can now build however he wants. That can’t be the intent,” says Pongratz. And at the same time makes it clear that many in the industry would now consider following suit.
The city planning office is calling on ten new employees to clear the construction backlog. “But that would mean extra costs for the city of up to 700,000 euros,” calculates the Graz lawyer and construction law expert Georg Eisenberger.
Lawyer wants to help the city with backwater
Eisenberger is now making an offer to politicians to clear the entire backlog by June 2023: “And that for a maximum of 72,000 euros – the city council has the detailed offer, but so far I have not received an answer.”
Incidentally, for Pongratz, the commissioning of Eisenberger would be an understandable solution to the dilemma. In the office of the responsible deputy mayor Judith Schwentner (Greens) to the “Krone” says: “We are currently investigating the involvement of outside experts.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
