FDP pursues a fresh approach for acquiring the paper factory's real estate
The FDP parliamentary group has presented a proposal to convert the Dillweißenstein paper mill site, located in the heart of the town, into residential housing. This aims to address the pressing need for housing by repurposing the former industrial area.
The sale agreement for the paper mill site, worth €13.4 million, was previously under a purchase agreement with a Viennese investor. However, a dispute over the real estate transfer tax of €675,000 has led to the sale falling through. Bernhard Rieser, the owner of the paper mill site, was contacted by the tax office due to the non-payment of the tax.
The non-payment of the real estate transfer tax was interpreted by Hans-Ulrich Rülke, chairman of the FDP fraction, as a sign that the investor would not complete the purchase. In response, the FDP fraction is ready to support an offer at the level proposed during the pre-emption rights bidding process.
Monika Descharmes, spokeswoman for the FDP fraction in the planning and environmental committee, has added that while the loss must be kept within reasonable limits, the FDP is ready to contribute "a good million" towards the creation of new housing, even if it results in a "small minus in the city's budget" in the final accounting.
Descharmes has also stated that the interest rate environment and construction cost prices have continued to deteriorate since the appraisal was made, and new construction activities have almost ground to a halt. This has led to a lowering of the value of the paper mill site.
The FDP wishes for a swift start to negotiations to enable a quick decision in the city council. The purpose of the offer, according to Rülke, is to advance the overriding goal of creating housing. The FDP fraction in the city council is open to the city purchasing the paper mill site in Dillweißenstein.
The exact figures and detailed cost estimates are typically detailed in the proposal documents, but the proposal sets a budget upper limit to ensure responsible fiscal management, preventing cost overruns during the development of the housing project. As of the latest updates, the proposal is under review by the relevant municipal authorities or legislative bodies.
- The FDP is prepared to support an offer for the Dillweiissenstein paper mill site, aiming to match the level proposed during the pre-emption rights bidding process, following the fall-through of the previous sale due to a dispute over the real-estate transfer tax.
- Monika Descharmes, spokeswoman for the FDP fraction, has declared that they are willing to contribute "a good million" towards the creation of new housing, accepting a "small minus in the city's budget" as a result, to address the deteriorating interest rate environment and construction cost prices that have slowed new housing construction.
- In addition to the contribution towards the housing project, the FDP is also open to the city purchasing the paper mill site in Dillweiissenstein, ensuring a swift start to negotiations for a quick decision in the city council, with the ultimate goal of addressing the pressing need for housing in the town.
