Living in the Tyrol
Spatial planning and building regulations
The designated area of settlement in the Tyrol accounts for only 12 percent of total area, and one quarter of that is occupied by various buildings, leisure facilities, roads and railways etc. That underscores the importance of spatial planning and building regulations for the region. The Tyrolean Building Code and the Tyrolean Spatial Planning Act provide for a balanced settlement and leisure structure, taking due account of housing requirements. "ZukunftsRaum Tirol" - FutureSpace Tyrol - is the name of a regional development plan (2007-2017) drawn up by the Regional Government defining goals, strategies and measures for spatial development in the Tyrol with a focus on public transport, the use of renewable energy, and energy savings. Responsibility for the legal aspects of local and regional spatial planning is vested in the Department of Construction and Spatial Planning Law (in German) at the Office of the Tyrolean Regional Government, where questions of spatial planning and the regional economy are addressed at the intermunicipal and regional levels. Special importance is attached to coordinating the interests of the individual municipalities, promoting cooperation between them and contributing to the spatial, economic and social development of the various districts within the region. For this purpose, the 279 Tyrolean municipalities have been assigned to 36 planning associations plus the Innsbruck and Environs Urban Region Planning Association.
Housing construction subsidies
For the Tyrolean Regional Government, it is an important goal of social and family policy to offer the people of the Tyrol needs-based housing that is of good quality and also affordable. Among other things, the Department of Subsidised Housing processes (in German) applications for support as follows:
- Owner-occupied housing (new or first purchase)
- High-density housing (new or first purchase)
- Purchase or rent of a subsidised apartment from a property developer
- Purchase of an existing (non-subsidised) property
- Housing refurbishments / extensions
- Housing benefits (for subsidised accommodation)
- Rent and mortgage support (for non-subsidised accommodation)
Tyrolean Land Fund
The Tyrolean Land Fund (in German) was established in order to give the people and the business community access to residential and commercial building land under attractive conditions. Allocation of the plots is the responsibility of the local councils.
Citizenship
Persons wishing to acquire Austrian nationality can apply to the Department of Citizenship (in German) at the Office of the Tyrolean Regional Government. Successful applicants have Austrian nationality conferred on them with all the rights and duties of an Austrian citizen.
Click here for further information on the subject of building and living, support programmes and the relevant departments at the Office of the Tyrolean Regional Government (in German).