In the border area, there has been a cycling tourism expertise, respectively cycling tourism offers for years. The KTM cycle route has existed for a long time. It runs partly parallel to the new EuroVelo 13 and crosses the EuroVelo 9 (via Brno – Vienna).
The KTM Cycle Route East along the Morava River has so far partly run on less suitable tourist routes. Therefore, there have been efforts for years to make the section between Hohenau and Engelhartsstetten more attractive or to relocate it to new routes.
The proposals for the new routes run through nature-sensitive areas. Now, under certain conditions, a nature conservation permit has been granted.
Essential for this are appropriate visitor guidance measures (barriers, visitor information, etc.) and subsequently a monitoring of the effect of the proposed and implemented measures.

The interim evaluation of the PaNaNet+ project presents a comparison of the objectives and the actual situation.

With the pilot project “b-solutions”, the Office of the Lower Austrian Provincial Government, Department of nursery and Schools, has set itself the goal of identifying sustainable methods for overcoming these legal or administrative obstacles in the case of cross-border nurserry and school visits.

The Welcome Info is intended to provide assistance and orientation, especially for Slovak newcomers in the surrounding Austrian communities, so that they can find their way around in their new environment more quickly, especially with regard to administrative and cross-border issues.
With the help of the Welcome Info, which will subsequently be translated into Slovak, the most important questions for newcomers are to be communicated in an understandable way right from the start. The target group is people from neighbouring countries (especially Slovakia) who already live in the Austrian border area or who want to settle in the border municipalities of the districts of Gänserndorf, Bruck an der Leitha or Eisenstadt.

On 31 December 2021, around 500 permanent permits for the installation of Schanigärten on public property in Vienna expire. The entrepreneurs concerned must therefore submit new applications for the 2022 season. The current (stricter) guidelines will be applied. For some entrepreneurs, this means that their new outdoor cafés will be significantly smaller or that they will no longer be allowed to set up outdoor cafés from 2022 onwards. These businesses should be informed by the Chamber of Commerce in a timely manner so that they can react to the changed situation in good time.

Preparation of comprehensive, uniform and optimised management plans for all six Burgenland nature parks, based on the Austria-wide recognised 4-pillar model of nature parks.
The result is an “Action Plan 2025” per nature park, which can be used as an aid for project submissions in the national and international context and should lead to the direct implementation of activities.

The project is intended to create an analytical and strategic basis for making the business areas concerned fit for the future as locations in themselves and to qualify them in several respects. The analysis of the locations as such and their urban-functional environment is just as important as the dialogue and exchange with the companies located there and other relevant stakeholders and experts.

The LEADER Region Bucklige Welt – Wechselland will start the strategy process for the new LEADER period 2023-27 in September 2021.
Building on the existing LEADER strategy 2014-2020, an overall strategy with concrete outputs in the four fields of action (value creation, natural space and cultural heritage, public welfare and climate) is to be developed in a broad-based bottom-up process with representatives from politics and civil society.

The LEADER Region Triestingtal starts in September 2021 with the strategy process for the new LEADER period 2023-27.
Building on the existing LEADER strategy 2014-2020, an overall strategy with concrete outputs in the 4 fields of action (value creation, natural space and cultural heritage, common good and climate) is to be developed within the framework of a broad-based bottom-up process with representatives from politics and civil society.

With regional master planning, a new instrument was created in Lower Austria in 2012.
was created in Lower Austria in 2012, with which the previously used instruments of regulatory and development planning (regional spatial planning programme and small regional framework concept) are more closely interlinked. In the meantime, master plans have been carried out in various regions. The task of this project is the implementation of two master planning processes to be carried out independently of each other in the regions Bucklige Welt /Lower Austria South

With regional master planning, a new instrument was created in Lower Austria in 2012, with which the previously used instruments of regulatory and development planning (Regional Spatial Planning Programme and Small Regional Framework Concept) are more closely interlinked. In the meantime, master plans have been carried out in various regions. The task of this project is to evaluate regional master plans already carried out and existing regional spatial development programmes, as well as to carry out two pilot processes of master planning to be carried out independently of each other.

Project partners: ÖIR GmbH, Stadtland GmbH

The basis for the preparation of the process manual for master planning in Lower Austria is the spatial development model and the pilot master planning processes in the districts of Bruck/Leitha, Waidhofen/Thaya and Horn.

The CERUSI project implements a Rural Social Innovation Lab Caravan to build skills and capacities for social innovation and social entrepreneurship. Rural regions in Central Europe often lack support structures to keep people in the region. Contrary to urban areas, there are few accelerator hubs or other options that offer support to people who want to change something for the better in their community.

The Danube power plant Altenwörth is the most powerful run-of-river power plant in Austria. The difference in height of the barrage is 13.9 metres and thus acts as a barrier for fish and other aquatic life. This obstacle will be overcome in the future with a fish migration aid, which is built in the frame of a LIFE+ project.  At 12.5 kilometres long, it will be the longest fish bypass in Lower Austria. VERBUND Hydro Power coordinates the LIFE+ project.

Together with ALLRegio, mecca is responsible for the “Socio-economic Analysis – LIFE Network Danube+ ALTENWÖRTH”, the aim of which is to identify the possible socio-economic effects of this project and to present them in advance. Key indicators for the most important socio-economic impacts will be identified and presented. These key indicators provide the basis for a monitoring, which is planned in the course of the project “LIFE Net-work Danube+ ALTENWÖRTH”. The guiding theme for this is: Regional added value through a nature conservation project (LIFE+) on the Danube near Altenwörth.

project partner: ALLRegio

The Burgenland Department for Women, Anti-Discrimination and Equal Treatment, together with the Employment Pact, is organising a conference for young people 16+ in December 2019 at Friedensburg Schlaining on the topics of “Equal Opportunities and Violence” and “Equal Opportunities and Work/Education”. The conference builds on the results of previous school workshops. A total of about 150 participants, at least half of them young people, are expected to attend the conference.

mecca supports the organisation for this event.

The project Connecting Regions (ConnReg) AT-CZ aims to bring together regional development in the programme area, which is currently still very much organised at district and country level. A common challenge is not only the coordination of regional policy fields of action (transport infrastructure, nature conservation, culture, spatial development, etc.) but also the improvement of the overall quality of cross-border projects.

As the programming of the next INTERREG funding programme AT-CZ is in the start-up phase, meccas task is to analyse the needs, potentials, themes and absorption capacity of the programme region and to identify key project proposals for the future programming period. To achieve this, mecca screens documents and data on the programme region and conducts several national and bilateral workshops with Czech and Austrian experts and project promoters, potential new project partners and other stakeholders.

In Bad Vöslau (Lower Austria) the old Louisenvilla should be renovated. On the same plot the Louisenpark apartment building is to be constructed. In the immediate vicinity are the spa gardens, a senior citizens’ residence and a municipal outdoor swimming pool.

The current forest-like character of the property is to be preserved as far as possible – especially the pine trees.

In order to preserve or create further ecologically valuable areas, plantings of several trees, flowering shrub hedges, planting beds with shrub mixtures, vertical greenery on a house wall or on wire ropes along the garbage room as well as the greening of the entire flat roof of the apartment building are planned.

Project partner: DI Doris Haidvogl – engineering office for landscape planning

The aim of the INTERREG project ConnReg AT-HU is to improve the integration of existing local and regional networks into cross-border cooperation. In order to identify potential topics for the next INTERREG programme period (post-2020), a survey will be conducted including existing projects and future project actors in the border region.

mecca supports the project partners with the analysis of the strategic documents elaborated within the framework of ConnReg AT-HU on the main topics of the INTERREG AT-HU programme and the existing documents for the programme period 2021-2027. Furthermore, an online survey and qualitative group interviews with Hungarian and Austrian experts show the needs, conditions and topics for cross-border cooperation. These results are discussed in thematic workshops with a focus on the 2021+ funding period together with Hungarian and Austrian project promoters, potential new project partners and other stakeholders and their relevance for cross-border cooperation will be examined.

The Austrian Rural Development Programme (LE-Programme) 2014-2020 combines all measures of supporting rural areas.

As a part of the consortium (formed by metis), mecca is assigned to the evaluation of the programme. Following the completion of the 2017 implementation report we will elaborate the extended annual evaluation report 2019. mecca is responsible for the following topics:

• Rural tourism: development of innovative pilot projects, cooperation between small economic operators, clusters in rural tourism, investments in small tourist infrastructure
• Renewal of villages: plans and concepts, implementation
• Local Agenda 21
• Implementation of climate and energy projects at local level

Lake Neusiedl and its surrounding region are attractive in many respects and hence face an increasing pressure regarding spatial and settlement develpment, building areas at the waterside, recreation, culture and tourism, energy, economy, agriculture, nature protection etc.

In order to develop a coordinated strategy for the future development in the region, mecca is appointed to develop a “Master Plan Lake Neusiedl” based on a comprehensive regional analysis and the involvement of stakeholders, policy makers, interested public and other relevant organisations and institutions.

After mecca was assigned by the Vienna Economic Chamber to update the cadastre in 2017, we edit the notifications on behalf of the City of Vienna in 2018. The stocks from 2017 and 2016 were also standardised according to the specifications of MA46 (e.g. location, public space, approval period, status, types, etc.), so that there is now a consistent, up-to-date and comparable database for this period. From 2018 we processed 1,179 notifications, from 2017 671 and from 2016 117. The data is available as GIS shapefiles with the associated attribute tables.

mecca supports the Vienna Economic Chamber in updating the cadastre of pavement cafés of the city. For this purpose, the 700 notifications submitted by the client in 2017 are entered in the existing database and map. The data are available as a result as GIS shapefiles with the associated attribute table.

CEP (Courier, Express and Parcel)-Services are of increasing importance for urban supply. The demand for these services is expected to grow, mainly caused by the booming e-commerce market, but also by the increasing city population and the numbers of single households. But how is the economic development of the sector, what’s the CEP-Service’s importance regarding the business location and the urban development and what are the hot topics in the years to come? On behalf of the Vienna Economic Chamber, we are working on these and further questions together with the Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt).

project partner: Environment Agency Austria

NAFES (Lower Austrian working group for the promotion of shopping in town and city centres) supports activities aimed at increasing the attractiveness of urban shaped village centres and gaining new circles of customers. During the funding period 2013-2016 207 projects were funded with a total investment volume of € 12.4 million and public funds in the amount of € 3.3 million.

mecca conducted an impact analysis regarding the funding period 2013-2016 with the aim of deducing suggestions for NAFES 2017+.

Lower Austria has committed itself to reduce the energy consumption and the greenhouse gas emissions. Measures are defined in the NÖ Klima- und Energieprogramm 2020 (Lower Austria Climate and Energy Programme). They are consistent with European, Austrian and Lower Austrian climate protection measures.

The aim of the study commissioned by EVN is the question how regional and communal development and energy supply could be better coordinated in order to generate benefit regarding security of energy supply, energetic and economic efficiency, climate protection and minimising environmental impacts. mecca conducted a data analysis, and developed usage suggestions for model communities.

project partner: Environment Agency Austria (Umweltbundesamt)

The Project “Education grows” in the region Buckelige Welt-Wechselland is a initiative by educators, parents and the economy. It is financally supported by the LEADER Region Buckelige Welt-Wechselland.

Aims of the project:

• Impulses and advanced education for everybody interested in it (f.e. network meetings for parents)
• Cooporation and exchange between local businesses and schools
• “Education days” with a practical orientation and interesting lectures (f.e. by Margret Rasfeld, Gerald Hüther, Alexander Pointner)

mecca supports the LEADER Region Buckelige Welt-Wechselland with project development and implementation.

The Austrian Rural Development Programme (LE Programme) 2014-20 combines all measures of supporting rural areas. As a part of a consortium formed by metis, mecca is assigned to the evaluation of the achievement of objectives regarding the following topics:

–   Model projects in rural tourism
–   Rural tourism
–   Village renewal
–   Civic participation
–   Vitalisation of town centres, revitalisation of buildings and infrastructure for leisure, culture and education

project partner: Metis

The austrian “Building Report” is issued regulary. The main aspects of the 3rd edition of the report are landscape, residential building and communal construction. Hannes Schaffer is one of the experts for the chapter “landscape” alongside Sybylla Zech. They develop case scenarios which should illustrate a probable future development. This expert evaluation is used as a basis for decision making for federal and regional politics. The report will be released end of 2016.

project partner: Plattform Baukulturpolitik (Platform Building Culture Policy)

The aim of the roadmap “Agenda For Urban Regions in Austria” is to establish urban regions as fields of political action.

The roadmap shows the next steps, containing the main focuses as well as specigic guidelines and time horizons. The roadmap relies on an interaction to the ÖREK recommondation “Für eine Stadtregionspolitik in Österreich”, which arised from the ÖREK 2011. It focus is on measures which strengthen the political weight of planning and acting in an urban region.

The city of Bratislava would like to be approved as a “Smart City” in Central Europe. The main topics of the city are “Smart use of resources”, “Smart community”, “Smart economy”.

In a roadmap the implemenatation of these main topics is to be elaborated. A city with a high quality of living, an innovative economy and creative start-ups is the goal. Therefore, the city of Vienna is a cooperation partner, as these two cities are confronted with similar challanges: A tight budget but also services and situations that need to be tackled efficiently and environmental-friendly. Thinking outside the box and practise an exchange of knowledge and experiences is the order of the day.

Since a few years, there are ambitions to improve the cycle path along the river March and to find new routes, which are more suitable for touristic use. Since the new routes pass through ecologically sensitive areas, this entails certain nature conservation requirements. To meet these reqirements, a set of measures to safeguard the visitor guidance need to be undertaken and subsequently monitored regarding their efficiency.

In close cooperation with the concerned municipalities, we elaborate the necessary measures in detail (e.g. visitor information, enclosures…), define their location and outline them in a code of practice.

project partner: Karl Reiner (ÖAR)

The Lower Austrian Housing Research provides fundings for projects, aimed on research on innovative living and housing. We participate with a project considering following aspects:

1. Single-family houses have been the priority type of housing during the last few decades
2. Aging of population leads to an increasing demand on services supporting people in their everyday life (provision, caring, health)
3. Buildings and apartments not suitable/comfortable for elderly people take negative impact on their quality of living
4. Communities face the challenge of “dying” centers – especially those which cannot provide attractive housing for a younger generation

The research focuses on showing the connections of these aspects. We will illustrate the main advantages of building age-conform housings in the center of the towns – for both, elderly people and the community.

On behalf of Lower Austria, mecca elaborates a study on which activities are undertaken in the Danube Region and how they should be adapted to present and future challenges. From Lower Austrias point of view, mecca…

• lays down priorities to be implemented within the frame of the EUSDR
• identifies organisations and institutions which impel implementing the strategy
• identifies themes and project ideas to be realised within the framework of the EUSDR and
• elaborates structural adjustments for optimal use of the EUSDR.

Hannes Schaffer gives lectures at Vienna University of Technology for students in the fields of regional development and spatial planning.

Focus is on the develpment of rural areas and energy planning. The lectures are supplemented by field trips.

Amerang is a village in Upper Bavaria. On behalf of the Ernst-Freiberger-Foundation, mecca develops a location development concept for the town. The aim of the concept is to position Amerang even more strongly as a sustainable, authentic and culturally interesting community which is attractive for its inhabitants and guests of the region and beyond.

mecca supports the government of Burgenland in developing a manual for modification of land use plans. The aim of the project is to  discuss frequently asked questions related to the process of rezoning in land use plans.  On the other hand,  standardising and enhancing transparency in this process is in demand.
The manual aims at the communities and planners responsible for local spatial planning, so they are actively involved in the elaboration.

Since 2012, Upper Austria is focussing on initiating and promoting intercommunal cooperation in the field of regional planning and spatial development. To ensure the best possible cost-benefit ratio, mecca evaluates the finalised projects and develops minimum requirements for future projects and cooperations. We evaluate the technical quality of intercommunal cooperation and their contribution to the aims of the federal state planning in Upper Austria. In addition, we look closely at the cooperations themselves and their processes.

A missing transport link over the river March hinders the integrated development of the region Weinviertel – Zahorie despite similar economic and spatial preconditions. However, after a negative referendum, the planned bridge connecting Angern an der March and Záhorská Ves will not be built. In this project, we developed an alternative concept to enhance cross-border mobility.

Countries: AT, SK

In December 2014, after one and a half year life time of the Marc Aurel Initiative for Health and Life Quality, mecca carried out a survey on the level of awareness concerning the initiative as well as on future topics in the LEADER region Römerland Carnuntum.

mecca supports the LEADER region Marchfeld in developing a strategy for 2014+. The participation process is locally organised by the LEADER office; professional inputs and the finalisation of the strategy are carried out by an external consultant team.

mecca supports the LEADER region Römerland Carnuntum in developing a strategy for 2014+. The participation process is locally organised by the LEADER office; professional inputs and the finalisation of the strategy are carried out by an external consultant team.

mecca supports the LEADER region Bucklige Welt-Wechselland in developing a strategy for 2014+. The participation process is locally organised by the LEADER office; professional inputs and the finalisation of the strategy are carried out by an external consultant team.

mecca supports the LEADER region Southern Lower Austria in developing a strategy for 2014+. The participation process is locally organised by the LEADER office; professional inputs and the finalisation of the strategy are carried out by an external consultant team.

mecca supports the positioning of the LEADER region Triestingtal as a “family-friendly region”.

On behalf of the Austrian conference on spatial planning (ÖROK), mecca and the Institute of Spation Planning, Vienna University of Technology, elaborate positions and milestones for a common Austrian agglomeration policy.

The result of this project is an orientation framework for decision makers and relevant stakeholders on how to support the establishment and further development of urban-regional cooperations.

Download of the german “Agenda”: Agenda Stadtregionen

project partner: Institute of Spation Planning (Vienna University of Technology, TU Wien)

The Weinviertel region is characterised by different generations living together. However, population structure will change significantly in the next few years. mecca supported the Weinviertel Ost in handling the challenges challenges of demographic change. The goal is to develop perspectives and to create a catalogue of measures for the economy and tourism.

mecca consulting and BHW-Projektverein support the region Römerland Carnuntum on its path to accessibility. The project is being implemented in close cooperation with the municipalities and tourist facilities of the region.

project partner: BHW-Projektverein

Expert opinion in the fields regional policy and material goods, recreations and overall apperance of the townscape and the landscape.

Within the upcoming six months a demography check will be conducted for the municipalities and companies in the LEADER region Bucklige Welt – Wechselland. The focus lies on a sector check for economy and tourism, which is a service for the regional companies and municipalities. They will recieve the results, showing how well the company is organised now and what measures and strategies are recommended for the future.

Pilot projects will be developed and conducted together with regional actors. An online survey assesses current problems and desires of regional companies.

project partner: conos Tourismusconsulting GmbH

The aim of this project is to entrench Ferlach (Carinthia) as a distinct centre for creativity, training and development through the setup of subject-specific networks and the establishment of a start-up initiative. The main objective is the generation and the preservation of jobs. Therefore, the following priorities are being set:

– Positioning the City of Ferlach as a centre for creativity and education in Carithia/Austria
– Unlocking potentials of the existing polytechnic (HTBLVA Ferlach), specialised companies and the citizens of Ferlach
– Positioning the City of Ferlach as a business location for HTBLVA graduates and company founders
– Setup and expansion of networks of existing companies in Ferlach, company founders and companies willing to settle

project partner: Institut für Zukunftskompetenzen

In the LEADER region Römerland-Carnuntum a demography check for the 27 municipalities and companies in the regions of Bruck an der Leitha and Wien-Umgebung was conducted. The focus for the region lies on the sector check for economy and tourism, a service aimed at regional companies. It shows how well the company is organised and what kind of measures and strategies are recommended in the future.

The region around Bratislava is characterised by a strong growth dynamic. Therefore, numerous initiatives to coordinate the development of Bratislava with that of the surrounding communities have been launched (COBRA, COBRA + TREE). Now the representatives of the Austrian municipalities and of the federal states of Lower Austria and Burgenland have agreed to elaborate a spatial development concept for the Austrian surroundings of Bratislava. The longterm goal is to coordinate their spatial development with the city of Bratislava. An urban study is to be elaborated, which incorporates an ongoing cooperation with the Austrian municipalities, among other things.

mecca applied itself together with RaumRegionMensch and dieLandschaftsplaner.at to the preparation of the spatial development concept for the 14 Austrian Municipalities.

Go to project website.

project partner: die Landschaftsplaner.at, RaumRegionMensch

The “SRO_peripher” database provides impulses for activities and instruments for active intervention in the regions. mecca analysed national and international examples (Focus Austria, Germany, Switzerland).These examples were located on a  “Map of Possibilities”, which is accessible under the following link: SRO_peripher Datenbank 
The database is permanently updated by mecca. At the moment there are more than 250 examples online.

The new Spatial Planning Strategy for Upper Austria is supposed to formulate the most important strategic goals and measures for spatial planning, in order to respond to current developments and their spatial consequences.

The most important characteristics of the updated Spatial Planning Strategy are:

• Brief and realisation-oriented regulation
• Link between the Upper Austrian law on spatial planning on the one hand and the realisation instruments on the other hand
• Special relevance for realisation through defined fields of action
• Linking of spatial planning, development planning and regional development
• Focus on issues that lie within the competence of spatial planning and regional development

project partner: stadtland, komobile

In the process of developing the Viennese Urban Development Plan (STEP 2025), mecca supported the working group „Clearing & Governance“ with process assistance and professional expertise.

The agglomeration perspective is one of five cross-cutting issues in the Urban Development Plan STEP 2015. In cooperation with stadtland, mecca worked on a position paper on urban-regional cooperation.  Relevant stakeholders in Vienna and the region and the Stadt-Umland-Management Vienna – Lower Austria (SUM) are involved in the process design. mecca and stadtland offer both operational and content-related services, mainly professional consulting and expertise.

project partner: stadtland

In the course of this expertise the following questions are covered:

• Basis and framework conditions for the cross-border UNESCO World Heritage Neusiedler See/Fertö
• World Heritage and wind parks – the European context
• History of development of the UNESCO World Heritage area and the resulting requirements and framework conditions for the use of wind power
• Assessing how far the federal state of Burgenland has dealt with the connection of the UNESCO World Heritage and the use of windpower to date

The “Regional Guiding Plan for Nordraum Wien” is supposed to ensure the coordinated spatial development along A5, S1 and A22. The project region belongs to the fastest-growing regions in Austria. In order to make the development of municipalities sustainable and efficient the plan was drafted by the municipalities and the federal state together.

The regional guiding plan was a novelty in Lower Austria. Under the main idea of “equal cooperation” a new approach for regional planning is developed. It is marked by an early, constructive and goal-oriented cooperation of municipalities, the region and the federal state. Regional goals, principles and measures of spatial development should be determined and realized through cooperative labour division and grouping of competences by municipalities and the federal state.

Project documentation (only in German available)

project partner: Institute of Spatial Planning – Research Unit Regional Planning and Regional Development (Vienna University of Technology, TU Wien)

The amendment plan for the Operational Programme (OP) Phasing Out Burgenland will contribute to an optimum impact in the upcoming years.
The approach of the revision is determined by article 48 of the Concil Regulation 1083/2006 on general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund: Reasons for revision, realisation difficulties and the expected impacts of the revision were explained in the amendment. The outcome was passed to the monitoring committee.

The amendment planned for the Operational Programme (OP) Phasing Out Burgenland will contribute to an optimum impact in the upcoming years.
The approach of the revision is determined by article 48 of the Concil Regulation 1083/2006 on general provisions on the European Regional Development Fund: Reasons for revision, realisation difficulties and the expected impacts of the revision were explained in the amendment. The outcome was passed to the monitoring committee.

The primary, secondary and special needs schools in southern Lower Austria led a pilot project on the subject, „What parents and grandparents should know about their children’s lives.“
Using a regional questionnaire, the schools sought to learn about parents’, grandparents’ and caregivers’ impressions about what their children do during a regular day and to identify problem areas where they felt they required more information. The schools then began to develop the initial specific implementation measures in the various areas identified by the parents (eg. Bullying, internet dangers, puberty, education and learning difficulties, drug consumption and addiction prevention).

BAUM coordinates spatial development within the urban fringe between the capital city of Bratislava and the bordering municipalities in Austria. the main topics of this project are the coordination of development plans (which usually end at the border), the discussion of controversial projects and a joint implementation of approved ideas.

Aims of this project are:

• the development of guidelines for spatial development in the border region
• the elaboration of an urban planning study for Bratislava considering the differing interests
• the establishment of a city-and-surroundings management for Bratislava

Countries: AT, SK

project partner: Vienna University of Technology (TU Wien)

The Austrian Conference on Spatial Planning’s (ÖROK) population forecasts display clearly that all regions are facing inevitable changes that must be adapted to. In these forecasts, the growth in the number of aging people combined with a decline of the youth plays a major role. Communities must quickly adjust to this and begin to consider how they will adapt their infrastructure. Regions that find ways to engage the aging part of the population in the community stand to benefit from the financial stability that the elderly have achieved through their retirement pensions.
This project concentrates on all of the eastern regions that have been left behind by the the development of dynamic agglomerations and are now characterized by their steady or predicted exodus of people and workers. These developing trends, as well as declining municipal budgets, require specific actions on the part of the communities and their regional political bodies.

Hannes Schaffer gave lectures on project management in environmental projects for students of the mastercourse “Environmental Technology & International Affairs”.

Students get an introduction to:

• Project management and controlling
• Project management tools
• International approach to environmental projects
• Communication in international projects

Some of the main topics of the online survey conducted within the frame of the development of a Regional Framework Concept for Dunkelsteinerwald are: Satisfaction with communal services, important issues for the population, future challenges and knolwedge in the region. The results and recommendations for action were considered in the concept and are incorporated in the goals of future communal cooperations.

project website: link

mecca supported the Government of Carinthia in the creation of the Regional Energy Concept for Upper Carinthia.  The goal is to use spatial planning to lay the groundwork for addressing critical questions facing Carinthia’s energy future. This should provide the basis for energy security through increasing the energy independence of Carinthia while at the same time improving the value added aspect by focusing on regional power generation. As results are gathered, they are to be used to develop a detailed energy concept in cooperation with the municipalities and key stakeholders.

In the course of the annual LEADER region evaluation mecca supported the LEADER management. An extensive questionnaire for different target groups led to interesting results for future LEADER work.

The development process for the municipalities of the micro region Dunkelsteinerwald includes a joint vision of the measures that need to be taken in order to achieve the following goals:

• Intensify both the communication and cooperation across municipal borders, giving a clear definition and identity to the micro region ‘Dunkelsteinerwald’
• Generate wider interest in the continuation of cooperative work in planning and executing projects
• Implement concrete projects that improve the visibility of the positive effects of cooperative action

project partner: im-plan-tat

According to the strategy for the Baltic Sea Region, an EU strategy for the Danube Region should be prepared by the end of 2010. Therefore, Austria is about to prepare a common statement including papers from the state goverments.

mecca supports Lower Austria in identifying relevant topics and preparing arguments for Lower Austria to take on a leadership role in coordinating further development of the Danube Region Strategy.

The bicycle rental system “nextbike” functions as a link between individual and public transportation. Nextbike offers everyone without access to their own bicycle the opportunity to travel short distances within the city quickly and comfortably. In addressing traffic issues, the combination of nextbike with public transit options is a sensible approach. The bicycles do not have to be brought back to the starting point but can be dropped at any bike station in the city. Rather than cost-intensive high tech solutions, nextbike offers a simple and affordable rent-a-bike system. nextbike has already installed a successful network of return stations in more than 20 cities in Austria, Germany and New Zealand. The feasibility study analysed the requirements for setting up a nextbike network in the city of Sopron.

The aim of the feasibility study is to point out, under which circumstances it is possible to establish this type of public bike sharing system in Sopron.

Based on the network of hiking trails in the micro region of Wolkersdorf , which was prepared by mecca in 2008, a google map was drafted as a flexible PR instrument. The map shows trails and additional information concerning attractions along these trails. Standard map features like zooming or the printing of sections are available.

Based on the LEADER initiative of 2007-2013, the establishment of “Learning Regions” is a key objective within Austria. The preparation and implementation of a regional learning strategy should strengthen lifelong learning and support the regional knowledge management.

project partner: Bildungs- und Heimatwerk Niederösterreich (Adult Education Lower Austria)

Based on the LEADER initiative of 2007-2013, the establishment of “Learning Regions” is a key objective within Austria. The preparation and implementation of a regional learning strategy should strengthen lifelong learning and support the regional knowledge management.

Project website: link

The Lower Austrian Spatial Planning Act (NÖ ROG) regulates procedures and thematic issues for spatial planning on a local and regional scale. It has been amended several times since it came into force in 1976 in order to meet the ongoing changes in spatial needs. Even nowadays Lower Austria has to react to this process of change. This evaluation identifies issues with high need for action from a supra-regional perspective and gives recommendations for a revised Spatial Planning Act.

Based on the LEADER initiative of 2007-2013, the establishment of “Learning Regions” is a key objective within Austria. The preparation and implementation of a regional learning strategy should strengthen lifelong learning and support the regional knowledge management.

project partner: Bildungs- und Heimatwerk Niederösterreich (Adult Education Lower Austria)

Based on the LEADER initiative of 2007-2013, the establishment of “Learning Regions” is a key objective within Austria. The preparation and implementation of a regional learning strategy should strengthen lifelong learning and support the regional knowledge management.

Project website: www.leader-noe-sued.at/

project partner: Bildungs- und Heimatwerk Niederösterreich (Adult Education Lower Austria)

Based on the LEADER initiative of 2007-2013, the establishment of “Learning Regions” is a key objective within Austria. The preparation and implementation of a regional learning strategy should strengthen lifelong learning and support the regional knowledge management.

project partner: Bildungs- und Heimatwerk Niederösterreich (Adult Education Lower Austria)

In the micro region of Wolkersdorf (nine municipalities) single hiking paths already existed. The ‘Hiking Path Network Wolkerdorf’ completes a network of trails totaling 90km in length and including both circular and inter-connected routes. After careful and detailed research, all the distances, attractions and accompanying signage were also prepared by mecca. Funding aspects, the central theme, as well as possible additional outputs (hiking maps, information boards for municipalities) were discussed in several workshops.

As a part of a pan-regional effort to develop a master plan for urban development, mecca drafted a set of planning atlases for the city of Santana in the Romanian Banat region. The atlases display Santana’s current situation based on large scale measures of European standards at both a local and a regional level. It also displays the current and future opportunities for Santana’s development. The collection was prepared in English and Romanian.

As part of the preliminary proceedings of the environmental impact assessment S3 Weinviertler Schnellstraße Hollabrunn Süd – Guntersdorf an expert assessment was provided on the topics of landscape, leisure and recreation as well as people, communities and businesses.

Module 3 of the new ‘Settlement Development Concept “East”‘ provide innovative strategies for overcoming unwanted spatial phenomena such as urban sprawl and the practice of land banking. mecca developed new tools for spatial planning in cooperation with key stakeholders as existing tools proved to be ineffective in managing the contemporary issues. Therefore, mecca developed a new set of tools capable of being adapted to the differentiation in strategy, resource management and policy demands of the various regions.

The focus lays on:
–   Land policy
–   Regional master planning
–   Cooperation in sectorial planning using the example of energy

The roadshow offers information on available funds for SME within Burgenland with the focus being on the Phasing Out-Programme (objective 1 follow-up). In four events (opinion leaders, tourism, enterprises & innovation) the different funding agencies were presented and discussions were moderated to help clarify the remaining issues. Target groups of the project were: regional small and medium sized enterprises, banks, tax consultants, politicians and the press.

project partner: ÖAR Regional Consulting

Politicians, regional stakeholders and inhabitants of the Weinviertel Ost Region were prepared for the LEADER period of 2007-2013. In addition to fulfilling all of the formal criteria for applying as a LEADER region, this project prepared the local development strategy, created a common regional perspective and developed projects identified as being central to the success of the upcoming programme period.

project partner: DI Richard Resch

Politicians, regional stakeholders and inhabitants of the Lafnitztal Region were prepared for the LEADER period of 2007-2013. In addition to fulfilling the formal criteria for applying as a LEADER region, this project prepared the local development strategy, created a common regional perspective and developed projects identified as being central to the success of the upcoming programme period.

project partner: Projektberatung Schlögl

Politicians, regional stakeholders and inhabitants of the Auland Carnuntum Region were prepared for the LEADER period of 2007-2013. In addition to fulfilling all of the formal criteria for applying as a LEADER region, this project prepared the local development strategy, created a common regional perspective and developed projects identified as being central to the success of the upcoming programme period.

Politicians, regional stakeholders and inhabitants of the Marchfeld Region were prepared for the LEADER period 2007-2013. In addition to fulfilling the formal criteria for applying as a LEADER region, this project prepared the local development strategy, created a common regional perspective and developed projects identified as being central to the success of the upcoming programme period.

Politicians, regional stakeholders and inhabitants of the Triestingtal Region were prepared for the LEADER period of 2007-2013. In addition to fulfilling all of the formal criteria for applying as a LEADER region, this project prepared the local development strategy, created a common regional perspective and developed projects identified as being central to the success of the upcoming programme period.

The municipality of Suhareka, Kosovo decided to revitalise its policy framework for development and growth. Therefore, a new Municipal Development Plan was drafted in parallel with the Urban Development Plan based on GIS for the first time. Additionally the administrative staff was trained to work with the data in the future.

Download: Suhareka Environment for the future.

project partner: Research Unit for Regional Planning and Regional Development (Institute of Spatial Planning, Vienna University of Technology), im-plan-tat, studio urban+, City of Pristina

The new Development Plan of Burgenland includes three elements:

• The Vision represents the basis for sustainable economic, social and ecological development of Burgenland, considering structural changes within the region, e.g. caused by the european integration
• The Strategic Plan translates the vision into concrete, regionally differenciated steps to be taken
• The Regulatory Plan is legally binding and safeguards public interests

project partner: Regionalconsult

Academic course at the University of Klagenfurt regarding the following questions: How does the idea of establishing a protected area (PA) develop? How can it be promoted effectively?

Project website: http://mpa.e-c-o.at

The project Együtt was implemented by a network of partners from Lower Austria and Hungary in the framework of INTERREG IIIA. It aimed at establishing cooperation between small- and medium-sized companies from both sides of the border. mecca evaluated whether the project objectives have been achieved and which of the used instruments could be basis for further cooperation in the programme periode of 2007-2013.

Facing progressive structural changes in agriculture and forestry, peripheral regions are being forced into taking radical steps to protect their economic survival. As a result a Europe-wide movement has begun to move rural regions towards a sustainable economic model. Innovations in sustainable programs within the areas of tourism, energy and resource saving are being watched with anticipation. Students of architecture, spatial planning and civil engineering at the TU Vienna were the main target group of this course.

Project-link: Handout

project partner: Research Unit for Regional Planning and Regional Development (Institute of Spatial Planning, Vienna University of Technology)