After the flood of the century

9700 signatures should now stop major project

17 hectares of farmland are to be sealed in St. Pölten as part of the planned logistics center

(Bild: Drexler)

"No Rewe warehouse in the flood zone": opponents are up in arms with a petition against the planned construction project in St. Pölten. Despite the devastating flood of the century, the company wants to build on 17 hectares of farmland at a site that was completely flooded just weeks ago. Experts have even identified a legal scandal.

For more than two years now, a planned large-scale project in St. Pölten has been facing fierce opposition. With 9700 signatures, it has now grown into a "counter-storm". This is the number of people who have clearly spoken out against the new Rewe central warehouse and the associated sealing of 17 hectares of farmland in the St. Georgen district in a petition by the citizens' initiative "Bodenschutz St. Pölten".

Petition handed over to those responsible at the end of the year
Now the project has also been hit by the recent flood disaster. According to Romana Drexler from the citizens' initiative, the new construction project is to be realized in the flood inundation area, the very location that was completely submerged just weeks ago. And thus also destroy the natural retention areas. This is because the plots for the logistics center would be located in the flood discharge area of a 100-year and 30-year event (HQ100 and HQ30).

Hydrologist Jürgen Komma, Green city councillor Christina Engel-Unterberger, Romana Drexler from the St. Pölten Soil Protection Citizens' Initiative and lawyer Wolfram Schachinger, Schachinger with petition

(Bild: weichhart)

Planned location

(Bild: Drexler)

"The 9700 signatures show how great the concerns of the population are," says Green city councillor Christina Engel-Unterberger. She appeals to the company to question whether it makes sense: "In the event of a flood above HQ100, the warehouse will be under water. The enormous increase in traffic with 1,000 trucks per day and the lack of transparency in the contract make the project even more problematic." According to the purchase contract, Rewe can simply withdraw from the purchase if no permits are obtained.

Lawyer Wolfram Schachinger also sees a legal scandal in the rezoning of building land to grassland in the HQ100 areas and in the environmental impact assessment. According to the state's decision, the project was not subject to an EIA. However, the city only submitted a flood protection project and not the planned central warehouse for official approval.

Safe local supply is the focus
"The basic prerequisite for a possible realization is comprehensive flood protection. The responsibility for this lies with the administrative authorities," explains Rewe succinctly. When asked, the city itself merely refers to the Group. A general development of the site has been planned for years, they say.