Vienna, 29 January 2024: Led by Michael Hecht and Josef Peer Fellner Wratzfeld & Partner (fwp) is advising the ARGE Oberes Hausfeld joint venture consisting of 19 developers during the implementation of the urban development project in Vienna's 22nd district of Donaustadt, which comprises some 23 hectares. The project reached another milestone when the EIA permit decision of the Vienna State Government became final. 

The "Oberes Hausfeld" project, which runs along the U2 underground line and was designated by the Municipal Council of Vienna in 2020, constitutes a key area in Vienna's urban development. The project, which is planned to be completed by 2029, pursues the primary goal of creating affordable living space.

A new neighbourhood that primarily offers affordable housing (residential construction subsidies / residential construction initiatives) and a bustling ground floor area to be used by retailers, trades and service providers will be created on the gross floorspace of some 395,000 m². In addition, the project area of some 23 hectares will include social infrastructures such as a kindergarten and a school campus. This urban development project is one of the most complex and long-lasting infrastructure projects in Vienna.

In addition the envisaged project focuses on efficient energy concepts.

The largest part of the residential space will be built according to low-energy housing standards. Moreover, more than half of the different building structures will be equipped with extremely efficient energy systems (ground-source heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, solar thermal energy and heat recovery). Furthermore, with excellent connections to the public transport system (2 underground stations) the urban development project fulfils the highest ecological standards in Europe.

"Due to its manifold challenges in the most different fields of law the Oberes Hausfeld project represents one of the most difficult complicated projects in recent years. Now that the EIA permit decision has become final, i.e. non-appealable, we have reached another major milestone in this long procedure" says Michael Hecht, who together with Josef Peer is in charge of advising ARGE Oberes Hausfeld in the environmental impact assessment procedure, among other things.