Construction and Regional Planning Law in Austria

Construction and regional planning law is considered to be the most important area of competence of the federal states. In this field, both legislation and enforcement lie (almost) entirely within their authority — with all the challenges that such a federal structure can bring: nine spatial planning frameworks, nine building codes; procedural paths that start at the mayor’s office and, through appeals, can ultimately reach the highest public law courts (the Constitutional Court and the Administrative Court). Complex multi-party proceedings where success often depends not only on being right (Who holds which subjective public rights?) but above all on the difficulty of prevailing (How can the interests of neighbors be balanced? Where does the building authority draw the line?). In these matters, excellent expertise, negotiation skills, and a keen sense of psychology are essential.

What we do: We support construction applicants, neighbors, and municipalities in challenging building procedures.