Vorarlberg municipalities lack mandatory playground plans

In the Austrian state of Vorarlberg, 19 municipalities still lack a required playground concept, known as a ‘Spielraumkonzept’. According to the Department of Spatial Planning and Building Law, 77 out of 96 municipalities have either established a plan or are currently developing one through incentive programs.

The number of municipalities without a plan has decreased from 27 at the beginning of 2024 to 19. The municipalities currently lacking a concept include Blons, Brand, Buch, Bürs, Bürserberg, Dalaas, Dünserberg, Eichenberg, Lingenau, Ludesch, Möggers, Raggal, Riefensberg, Röns, Schwarzenberg, Sonntag, St. Gerold, Thüringen, and Warth. Most of these are smaller municipalities.

Despite the Spielraumgesetz (Playground Act) being in effect since 2009, the lack of compliance is due to legal loopholes: the law does not establish a deadline for municipal councils to adopt these plans, nor does it prescribe penalties for non-compliance. However, the absence of a concept can impact large-scale residential developments. For buildings with at least four apartments, a play area for older children is generally required. While building authorities can sometimes waive this requirement if a suitable public playground is nearby, municipalities without an official concept cannot utilize this specific exemption.