After lengthy legal disputes, nothing stands in the way of constructing the Sallingberg wind farm. The Provincial Administrative Court of Lower Austria dismissed the final appeal by the Pro Thayatal association, meaning that construction preparations can begin and construction can start in the summer 2025.
The nature conservation license was granted back in May 2023, but subsequent complaints delayed the project. The court has now finally ruled that there is no significant impact on protected species and that the area does not constitute a European nature reserve.
Planning for the project began back in 2015, but despite multiple approvals being granted, construction was repeatedly delayed due to complaints. A sighting of a black stork in the wider vicinity of the project area led to a revision of the permit with additional compensatory measures, which ECOwind successfully implemented.
These included the establishment of artificial eyries and feeding areas for the black stork, the resettlement of the protected Stendelwurz and the creation of suitable habitats for amphibians.
Photos: EWS Consulting GmbH
Long delay ends: A turning point in the legal dispute
After almost ten years of planning and approval, the Sallingberg wind farm can now finally be realised. This represents significant progress for sustainable energy supply in the region and emphasises the need to expand renewable energies in Lower Austria.
Johann Janker, Managing Director of ECOwind, emphasises his relief at the go-ahead: ‘The delay caused by unfounded objections has unnecessarily blocked the project. Now things are moving forward, and we can start construction.’
With six VESTAS V126 wind turbines and a total output of 19.8 MW, the Sallingberg wind farm will supply more than 14,000 households with around 50,000 MWh of clean energy in future.
