Defining the ground for land-use-based direct public-value capture in Austria

Abstract

The discussion whether and how to capture the increment of land value has been present in academia and politics for decades. Only few countries have established comprehensive systems to calculate land values and introduce a regulatory basis to directly or indirectly capture increments linked to land-use planning decisions for the public good. This article elaborates the potentials of and barriers to implementing a land-use-based direct value-capture mechanism within Austria’s fragmented planning regime. The considerations are built upon an analysis of the existing framework and instruments linked to land value and planning to identify the context of constraints for an additional or replacing instrument. Based on a legal analysis and qualitative expert interviews, key aspects for linking value capture to land-use planning decisions are identified and conclusions drawn based on a recent discussion in Austria.