Fehmarnbelt Tunnel: Court Examins German Planning Approval Decision

Since 22 September 2020, hearings on the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel have been underway before the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig, Germany. „We are pleased that we can now also obtain a final judicial review of the German planning approval decision.We are entering the court proceedings well prepared and know that intensive weeks lie ahead of us,“ says Claus F. Baunkjær, CEO of the Danish owner Femern A/S.

The approximately 18 km long combined rail and road tunnel will connect Fehmarn with the Danish island of Lolland. At the beginning of 2019, the Schleswig-Holstein Transport Planning Authority (APV-SH) issued the planning approval decision for the German part of the Fehmarnbelt Tunnel. Seven lawsuits have been filed against it, which are now being heard before the Federal Administrative Court. Complaints have been lodged by shipping companies, municipalities, environmental associations and one private individual.

The Danish part of the tunnel has had a building permit since 2015. The construction site on Lolland is now largely developed. Among other things, the power, water and sewage supply has been established, roads have been laid or newly built and a drainage system has been installed for the entire construction site area in Rødbyhavn.

Work is also underway 500 metres off the coast of Lolland: Since mid-June 2020, the 1.5 km long piers have been under construction there to protect the future working harbour on the Danish island from waves. Construction of the tunnel element factory in Denmark will start at the beginning of next year. On the German side, construction work will not start until the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig gives the green light. In April 2019, Femern A/S was only granted an immediate execution permit by APV-SH to carry out a series of preparatory construction works on Fehmarn. Some of these have already been implemented, including an amphibian fence, compensation areas and nesting aids for various bird species. The Fehmarn Belt Tunnel is scheduled to open in 2029.