Fighting Back Against Abusive Building Appeals to Combat Housing Shortage

Investors and developers in Switzerland are expressing their concern about abusive methods and extortion in building appeals. FDP Council of States member Andrea Caroni has recently submitted a postulate to address this issue. The growing number of objections and building appeals is leading to delays and cancellations of construction projects in the country. The power held by potential appellants is discouraging investors and building owners from proceeding with their projects. Many industry players are speaking out against these practices.

According to a federal action plan against the housing shortage adopted last February, combating obviously abusive objections is a key priority. A recent article in the “NZZ am Sonntag” newspaper highlighted the negative impacts of excessive objections on construction projects across Switzerland. Appellants can object to any aspect of a project without showing actual impact or relevance.

Andrea Caroni’s motion to the Council of States calls for limiting objections to interests worthy of protection, to prevent abusive and extortionate practices. The current system allows objectors to raise objections that are not legitimate, causing unnecessary delays and hindering projects. Caroni suggests a return to pre-2011 legal standards, where objection validity was more closely scrutinized.

Other proposals, like a motion from Council of States member Andrea Gmür-Schönenberger, aim to amend spatial planning laws to address free objections that impede construction projects. These changes would introduce moderate procedural costs for objectors, discouraging baseless objections. The goal is to streamline the construction approval process and reduce project delays caused by abusive appeals.