Salzburg campsite law: second homes through the back door
Soon no more space at the Salzburg lakes? An exception in the new Salzburg campsite law allows for the sale of lake properties. Although campsite operators are no longer allowed to sell parking spaces from October, this does not apply to parking space owners. They are exempt from the rule. Owners could therefore buy up to five parking spaces, set up mobile homes and rent them out as a second home. Because the mobile houses are also allowed from October. This makes the coveted “lake property” a speculative object for real estate agents.
There are 25,000 views in Austria. But fewer and fewer of them are free and freely accessible to Austrians. Villas on Lake Wörthersee, semi-detached residences on Lake Attersee or hotels on Lake Weißensee – the majority of the lakeside properties are privately owned. Few can afford such a thing. Campsites are an affordable alternative for many Austrians. But that could change now – at least in Salzburg.
With the votes of the ÖVP, Greens and Neos, a new campsite law has now been passed in Salzburg that could exacerbate this development. Only the SPÖ votes against it. They fear a “sale of their homeland” through the back door. Where does this fear come from?
The Salzburg campsite law allows living containers with up to 60 square meters
In addition to tents, caravans and mobile homes, the new law now also allows so-called mobile homes. From October, such residential containers with a size of up to 60 square meters can be set up on campsites. On every small campsite, around 30 percent of the area can now be “built over” with the cottages. There is no weight limit for the houses.
Mobile homes already existed on most campsites in Salzburg. Due to the law, they are now being renovated retrospectively and given a legal basis – even illegal buildings are legal in this way.
Grassland development through the back door
A tightening brings the law: campsite operators are no longer allowed to sell parking spaces. figure are Owners who already own a parking space are exempt from the rule. What’s more: You can even buy additional parking spaces (up to 4) and resell them in the future.
The operators of the campsites can also continue to release individual parcels from the campsite in order to then sell them. The problem with this: pitches on which mobile homes are already located could easily be resold. The new owners would acquire a “lake property” with a residential container on grassland – grassland that should actually be free and not developed and accessible to everyone.
Salzburg campsite law: second homes through the back door
Exactly these exemptions are the problem, criticized Karin Dollinger, SPÖ member of parliament in Salzburg. Why does one person need five parking spaces? Here the floodgates are opened to subletting and real estate trading on campsites.
Owners could rent up to 5 plots, build mobile homes and then resell them as a second home. The coveted “lake property” thus becomes an object of speculation for real estate agents.
Sale of lake properties: free access will be further restricted
Am Wallersee The time has come: 60 owners share the approximately 180 pitches of the campsite “Seecamping Zell am Wallersee”. The feared “smelting of nature reserves” at lakes is already a reality here.
Entire campsites could become semi-detached homes with private access to the lake if an effective stop is not put in place to stop the sell-out of pitches. The public and free Access to lakes is already severely restricted for Austrians.