| Austria | Formulated 2012–2014; adopted June 2014; implementation ongoing
What was done
STEP 2025 (Stadtentwicklungsplan Wien 2025) provides the strategic framework for Vienna's physical development to accommodate projected population growth of 400,000 additional inhabitants in the wider metropolitan region. The plan integrates mobility strategy, settlement development, green infrastructure, urban technology, and economic development into a single coordinating document.
Three strategic visions structure the plan: 'Building the future' (urban expansion and densification); 'Reaching beyond its borders' (Vienna's metropolitan and European positioning); and 'Networking the city' (mobility and green/social networks). The plan maintains the long-standing commitment to ensuring that 50% of Vienna's territory remains green space, while directing new housing to transit corridors and brownfield sites. STEP 2025 was developed through a two-year participatory process involving public forums, stakeholder dialogues, an online platform, and travelling exhibitions.
Key Outcomes
- Coherent spatial strategy integrating housing supply, green space preservation, and mobility infrastructure across municipal departments.
- Clear direction for transit-oriented development in growth areas such as Aspern Seestadt (urban lakeside district), one of Europe's largest urban expansion projects.
- Maintained Vienna's commitment to social housing (approximately 60% of the population live in publicly owned or subsidised housing) within the spatial development framework.
- Cross-border metropolitan strategy facilitated cooperation with surrounding municipalities and the broader Vienna Metropolitan Region.
- Vienna consistently ranks as the world's most liveable city (Economist Intelligence Unit); STEP 2025 is part of the governance framework enabling this performance.
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