Long-standing plans for a large scale expansion of Zell am see's ski area appear to have finally got the green light from the Austrian government.
The plans, which involve 23 hectares of new slopes served by four major lifts in the resort's Schmittenhöhe area, were first mooted a decade ago but have been bogged down in the legal permissions process ever since.
The Austrian authority's own environmental protection agency has been objecting to the plans as they've moved up through the legislative system over the years, but finally, it seems, the country's Federal Administrative court has determined that economic and employment values outweigh the environmental impact of the project.
Known as the Hochsonnberg ski area project include a new valley station in Piesendorf with restaurant, sports shop and ski school, as well as parking spaces for about 700 cars and around 20 buses.
It is unclear when construction will begin and the project completed.
A major project at Zell am See's neighbour, Kaprun, to connect the village's local ski slopes direct by lift to the Kitzsteinhorn glacier, is currently half-complete with the required lifts opening this season and next.
Some commentators have noted that the region could become the largest in Austria and one of the world's biggest if Zell am See, Kaprun and the Kitzsteinhorn are inter-connected by ski lifts and if the area is kinked to nearby Saalbach Hinterglemm, a connection reported to be already unofficially possible by ski.