Korneuburg's shipyard development: on the way to sustainable solutions?

Korneuburg's shipyard development: on the way to sustainable solutions?

In the past few weeks, the Korneuburg shipyard was the focus of a variety of discussions. Mayor Christian Gepp has formulated clear guidelines for the future development of the area. Despite the pressing questions regarding potential partners for this project, Gepp remains optimistic that there is no hurry to the shipyard and rather a high quality plan is sought.

"We cannot manage the project alone and need a partner- the specifications for it are certain," explains Gepp. This statement underlines the need for external support to advance the plans. Previously, an extensive citizen participation process had taken place that contributes decisively to the current planning.

criteria for development

The wishes and needs expressed by the citizens led to a 30 percent reduction in the original project. Gepp emphasizes that an island construction is excluded without high -quality transport connections. NEOS councilor Kathrin Kaindl was positive about this adaptation, but wanted concrete implementation plans to put the requirements of the citizens into practice. It demands that the plans developed more than ten years ago to adapt to today's reality of life.

The SPÖ Korneuburg is also optimistic about the redesign of the shipyard area. Vice Mayor Bernadette Haider-Wittmann sees this a "historical opportunity" in order to finally develop a detailed plan without speculative influence of investors. "The local and recreational area desired by the citizens could be secured in the long term, in particular with a refrigeration and renaturation along the nature reserve," said Haider-Wittmann.

The discussion about the future use of the site has the potential to significantly influence the upcoming municipal elections in January 2025. Both political camps - SPÖ and NEOS - are determined to actively shape the direction for shipping development and create an environmentally friendly and livable Korneuburg.

"It would be fatal to miss this historical opportunity," warns Haider-Wittmann and refers to the current flood events that demonstrate the urgency of revising the plans. "The shipyard area was surrounded, blocked accesses, and when installing over 1,800 people, secure escape routes would hardly be implemented."

An open, transparent procedure in the planning is essential from the NEOS perspective. Kathrin Kaindl demands that the mayor party have a significant position to the transport connections in order to preserve the feeling of small town and to counteract the climate crisis. A clear and understandable planning process is necessary to give the residents the opportunity to actively participate.

How the discussion about the Korneuburg shipyard area will develop and which partners can ultimately be integrated into the development process remains to be seen. The uncertainties about the takeover of the project could shape both the future of the area and the political landscape of the city.

Current information on this topic is also available in the article www.meinbezirk.at .