Vienna plans the future: dispute over urban development and living space.

Vienna plans the future: dispute over urban development and living space.

On April 23, 2025, an important meeting took place in the Vienna municipal council, which focused on the new urban development plan 2035. In his speech, GR Erich Valentin (SPÖ) criticized that the previous speakers focused exclusively on automobile and rejected the argument that the plan had to be based on outdated concepts. He advocated taking internal and external specialists in order to avoid conflicts of interest.

The urban development plan, which is to be finalized by the end of the year, was considered necessary by Valentin to cover the increasing need for living space. In his speech, he described the move to attractive regions as the "curse of the successful" and emphasized the necessary changes in the city. The pressure on the housing market in Vienna remains a central topic due to the ever higher demand.

outlook on the Vienna Plan

With the new Vienna Plan, the urban development plan 2035, the central foundations for the spatial and structural development of the city are laid. According to information from wien.gv.at, this plan is revised every ten years to take current developments into account. The plan should not only define settlement borders, but also ensure the development, whereby existing areas such as Rothneusiedl and Seestadt Aspern offer enough space.

Mayor Michael Ludwig emphasized the importance of the plan for the quality of life and sustainability of the city. A significant aspect is to determine that the city's green share should be secured to at least 50 % for the next ten years. This also includes specific key figures for parks, playgrounds and other important infrastructures.

gr Kilian Stark (Greens) and Grin Mag. Angelika Pipal-Leixner (NEOS) referred to the need for an active citizen participation and a courageous approach in planning. While a deposition of the plan stimulated to adapt, Dr. Peter Sittler (ÖVP) Criticism of the content and its feasibility. In particular, he complained about the sparse mention of the densification in the Vienna Plan, which in his opinion is neglected.

sustainable approaches in urban planning

in parallel for discussion about the urban development plan, initiatives for sustainable urban planning also took place, such as a discussion round with David Sim and Prof. Dr. Tanja Siems. The main challenges of city life were discussed here, including waiting for public transport and long commuting paths. SIM advocates simple, inexpensive measures that are supposed to improve life in the city by a more human standard.

His ideas find support from the idea of ​​participative planning methods that Prof. Siems presented in their book "Teaching City", and which aim to promote community planning through competence -oriented approaches.

These discussions, which include both current challenges and innovative ideas for urban development, could make a significant contribution to creating living areas and improving the urban quality of life.

The Vienna Plan and the ongoing initiatives clearly show that the city is faced with the challenge of finding a balance between growth and quality of life, while at the same time the needs of all citizens have to be taken into account.

The final approval of the urban development plan in the municipal council and the subsequent public access promise to be decisive for Vienna's urban development in the near future.

For more information on the topics of urban planning and sustainable development, we refer to wien.gv.at , wien.gv.at - urban development and Federal Foundation Baukultur .