How can we create attractive living conditions for people and businesses?

 

Attractive cities draw people in and with them, economic dynamism. Quality of life has long since become more than just a soft location factor. lt influences whether people and businesses choose a particular location in the long term.

WiP Fische glasfaserblau

Quality of life as a location factor

Economic development depends on quality of life, accessibility and attractive places to work and live. Nowadays, cities compete not only to attract businesses and investment, but also to prove their value as places to live, work and make a living in over the long term.

Linz meets key criteria in this regard: a compact urban structure, good transport links, affordable basic services and leisure facilities, a strong industrial base, and successful innovation hubs such as the Tabakfabrik Linz, the DIGITAL MILE and the areas surrounding Johannes Kepler University, IT:U and the University of Art and Design Linz. This combination of industry, innovation, short distances and urban quality is a key competitive advantage of the location.

At the same time, however, analyses show that economically significant areas need to be developed more specifically and better linked with one another. In particular, issues relating to quality of life and quality of residence, transport links and the international visibility of economic centres are becoming increasingly important.

Today, businesses, start-ups, one-person companies and innovative organisations need flexible spaces, good accessibility and places for exchange and collaboration. Innovation hubs and businessfocused neighbourhoods create the physical conditions for this and become an important tool in modern location development.

At the same time, the role of urban spaces is changing. The quality of public spaces, climateresilient urban development, affordable basic necessities, consumption-free public spaces and attractive neighbourhoods are having an increasing influence on how people perceive a location and whether they choose to stay there for the long term. Different lifestyles and needs call for a diverse range of options - from urban living and cultural activities to natural surroundings and local recreational areas. Quality of life is therefore a key competitive factor for economic development and social stability.

These include, in particular, affordable housing and leisure facilities, attractive public spaces and an efficient public transport network. For large companies and SMEs in particular, the availability of affordable housing is increasingly becoming a key factor in attracting and retaining workers. Around 60 % of businesses state in the SME-survey that affordable housing helps to attract and retain workers. In Linz, the proportion of co-operative and non-profit housing (around 62,400) is over 50 %. This top ranking across Austria, combined with the lowest ancillary housing costs when compared with other provincial capitals, ensures that the city remains an affordable place to live.

In Linz, there is potential for greater involvement of young people and students in urban life. The student population is constantly growing and becoming more international, as is also reflected in the city's age structure. A closer link between universities and universities of applied sciences, city life, housing and leisure will become even more important in future - particularly in terms of developing efficient public transport links and sustainable mobility.

Our aim is therefore to retain people in the area in the long term, attract new workers and embed economic dynamism more widely across the urban area.

Our role

  • Motivator
  • Enabler
  • Coordinator

Strategic measures

Creating social infrastructure and affordable housing

  • Consistent expansion of subsidised housing in collaboration with the city's housing association (GWG Linz) and non-profit housing providers
  • Expansion of childcare and early years education based on demand forecasts
  • Expansion of halls of residence for students and apprentices near educational institutions and companies
  • Continuation of the Linz model for promoting social housing
  • Prioritise the use of potential for infill development and land reserves for social housing

Revitalising the city centre and neighbourhoods economically

The aim is to enhance the urban environment, its suitability for everyday life and, consequently, the quality of life and sense of well-being throughout the city.

  • Strategy for revitalising the city centre
  • Implementation of the measures set out in the integrated city centre concept (e.g. regeneration of the southern section of Landstraße)
  • lncreasing green spaces and the quality of the environment
  • Creating consumption-free communal areas
  • Enable flexible usage concepts
  • Creative shading for shopping streets
  • Installation of the new Christmas illuminations
  • Promote desirable business locations through location management (existing)
  • Strengthen partnerships between the city centre and neighbourhood economies, the retail sector and urban development
  • Explore new models of cooperation, such as Business lmprovement Districts (BIDs)
  • lnvolvement of property owners and business owners in the regeneration of neighbourhoods
  • Joint funding of regeneration measures
  • Assess legal feasibility
  • lntegrate the Danube recreational area and other open spaces in the city even more closely as places to spend time and live
  • Supporting cultural and creative spaces as hubs of urban dynamism
  • Collaborative initiatives with the arts, culture and creative sectors, such as the Linz Club Commission

lmproving accessibility and the quality of urban life

Objective: To strengthen accessibility, climate resilience and smart systems as competitive advantages for the region.

  • Further development of regional public transport links (e. g. rapid implementation of the regional light rail scheme)
  • Expansion and optimisation of inner-city transport links between neighbourhoods using a multimodal mix (public transport, cycling, walking, car-sharing, park-and-ride, etc.)
  • Climate-resilient urban design
  • Green roofs and greening of urban spaces
  • Shade and cooling spots in public spaces
  • Use of heat reduction materials
  • Pilot projects for smart urban infrastructure
  • Smart lighting
  • Environmental monitoring
  • Establishment of a regular 'Economy & Space' dialogue between the business community and urban development

Disclaimer: English content translated with AI assistance.

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