Building land security model for private profits? – salzburg.ORF.at
The matter stirred up some dust as early as spring 2021. It has now become known that three apartments in the medical center have already been offered as holiday apartments via the web.
In March 2021, the municipality of St. Veit announced the “Bucklmüller II” building land security model in a citizen information, which should help “especially our young citizens” to get building land with a price of 242 to 292 euros per square meter – about half of the usual local price .
Favorable reason for commercial medical center?
According to the development plan, the total area is 7,622 square meters, divided into nine plots. Two of the plots of land had already been allocated at that time – “to maintain and expand the watch list or regional health infrastructure,” as the letter says.
Shortly thereafter, it became known what was meant by that: ÖVP Deputy Mayor Karl Schwaiger and his son of the same name want to build a medical center on a 900 square meter area with their private company “Gesundheit St. Veit GmbH”, Karl junior is allowed to enter on the second plot build private house. According to media reports, the purchase price for both parcels was also between 250 and 300 euros per square meter.
Additional services also via tourism?
Last week, the “Kronen Zeitung” reported that three apartments in the medical center are already being advertised as holiday apartments on relevant tourism platforms. There is currently still a shell on the site, but “the published rental of these high-quality holiday apartments in an absolutely quiet location with no through traffic will take place in May 2022,” the newspaper quoted. The APA has screenshots of activations on several platforms.
What do the politician and his son say?
The deputy mayor initially justified the fact that the apartments should be available to customers of the medical center for the time around an operation. But if they are not used by patients, they should be rented out to tourists. “It was planned that way from the start,” says Schwaiger.
The report made waves. “While locals are finding it difficult to find land, a private medical center including apartments for tourists and private patients is being built in St. Veit on the sunny Grafenhof on a former state property. And the son of the ÖVP deputy mayor is building his own home right next to it on an 800 square meter plot,” criticized SPÖ-LABG. Hans Ganitzer the “friendship economy of the ÖVP rope teams”. And Housing Councilor Andrea Klambauer (NEOS) announces an examination of the purchase contract. The land was sold by the Land.
SPÖ: “Friendship management of ÖVP cliques”
At the beginning of the week, the ÖVP rowed back: “Neither the mayor in St. Veit nor the ÖVP in St. Veit would consider using the medical center building for tourism. LHS Deputy Stöckl has clearly defined the use in the relevant contract and made it clear that all consequences will be drawn in the event of a breach of contract,” said ÖVP club chairman and general secretary Wolfgang Mayer in a “clarification on the fake news”. Klambauer also said today to the APA that the purchase would be reversed if the purchase contract (“medical center and associated residential use”) was not used.
ÖVP rowed back
Mayor Schwaiger later spoke of a mere “draft” on the platforms, a booking was never possible. “That was a consideration as part of an examination of whether tourist use makes sense, namely for accommodating patients who are treated in our medical center.” is made”. The apartments are now to be used “as intended as staff housing”, says Schwaiger. In any case, he will not apply for a tourist dedication.
New criticism of private swimming pool
Calm in the matter should not have finally returned. Finally, on Thursday, the “Kronen Zeitung” reported that there is also a pool that has already been bricked up on the plot of the medical center. According to the designs for the Schwaiger family’s private house next door, the pool was “apparently intended exclusively for private use”.
So far, Schwaiger has not been available for APA to comment.