House in Woods, Pressbaum

Key facts at a glance

• Plot size according to the land register: 3.766 m², designation forest area
• Existing building: renovation‑needed wooden block house on a solid foundation with a basement
• Designation: "Erhaltenswertes Gebäude im Grünland" (Geb)
• Connections: local water supply and sewerage system available
• Power currently not connected, no heating

The detailed description

There are properties that are difficult to categorize. This property definitely belongs to that category! In the midst of a wooded area stands a small house with a history on 3.766 m² of land. At the same time, it is surprisingly well connected: The Pressbaum railway station is only a few steps away, Vienna is quickly reachable.

The upper part of the property lies near the railway line and is initially flat, then the terrain falls away toward the street. From the street-side gate, a narrow sunken path leads up to the house. The majority is forested—if you wish, you have here a small piece of your own forest with firewood, shade in summer and plenty of nature.

The original building was erected before 1938 and later changed several times. The current owner purchased the property in 1982 and had a wooden block house built on the existing foundation. The house includes a solid cellar of around 25 m² and about 50 m² of usable space on the ground and upper floors. The basic substance is solid, but due to the long vacancy interior areas and the roof have suffered – overall the building is in need of renovation.

The property is predominantly designated as forest area, but the existing building in the land-use plan is explicitly designated as "Erhaltenswertes Gebäude im Grünland" (Geb). This designation secures the existence of the house and generally allows renovation as well as modern adaptations. The concrete possibilities should be discussed on a case-by-case basis with the Building Authority of the city municipality of Pressbaum.

A special property for people seeking a small house in their own forest—and who also appreciate an unusually good rail connection to Vienna.

Information designation "Erhaltenswertes Gebäude im Grünland" (Geb)

The designation "Erhaltenswertes Gebäude im Grünland" (Geb) – regulated in § 20 Nö Raumordnungsgesetz 2014 – enables the existence of certain buildings in Grünland, even though construction is generally not allowed there. It is designated for already existing buildings that should be preserved for local or functional reasons.

The building may continue to be used and preserved, although the area is not designated as building land.

What is generally permissible

• Preservation and renovation of the existing building, the renewal of the roof, windows, building services, etc., as well as modernization and adaptation to today’s living standards
• Conversions within the existing building are generally permissible, interior layouts can be changed as long as the character of the building is preserved.
• The existing use may generally continue.

Extensions (legally limited)

• An enlargement of the building is generally possible, but only within a clearly defined framework.
• According to the Nö Raumordnungsgesetz (§ 20): The built-up area may be expanded by up to 30% in total. The starting point is always the building at the time of the designation of the Geb-Widmung. All later additions are added together. If this limit is reached, further extensions are not allowed.

What is generally not permissible

• The construction of a brand-new building in Grünland,
• an arbitrary enlargement of the building or
• the erection of additional residential houses on the property.

A complete demolition of the building can be problematic, as it may undermine the basis for the Geb-Widmung.

Important: The specific admissibility of individual construction projects always depends on the individual case and the assessment by the competent building authority of the respective municipality. For planned construction measures, early coordination with the municipality or building authority is therefore always recommended.

Infrastructure / Distances

Health
Doctor <675m
Pharmacy <225m
Clinic <7.850m

Children & Schools
School <250m
Kindergarten <175m

Nearby supply
Supermarket <150m
Bakery <125m

Other
Bank <200m
ATM <200m
Post <575m
Police <300m

Traffic
Bus <125m
Station <150m
Motorway access <1.150m

Distances as the crow flies / Source: OpenStreetMap