The Federal Administrative Court slows the construction of the A20 | NDR.de – News

Stand: 27.11.2018 11h07

The Federal Administrative Court has for the moment stopped the construction of the A20 between Highway 7 and Wittenborn (Kreis Segeberg). The judges criticized the planning errors. Thus, a rule of the water law had not been respected and the protection review of species, including bats in the Segeberg limestone caves, also had shortcomings . The Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND) and the German Union for Conservation of Nature (NABU) have lodged a complaint. The judges did not overrule the decision approving the plan, which was decisive for the construction project, but declared it illegal and impracticable. This means that planning authorities have the opportunity to improve and do not have to reopen the process completely.

Bat protection not enough attention

In 2013, the judges of Leipzig had stopped the construction phase of Bad Segeberg in Wittenborn, the protection of bats has not been sufficiently taken into account. Even five years later, judges were concerned about the rules of protection for these animals. They complained that the planners had not checked whether the construction of the motorway stretch between A7 and Wittenborn could have a negative impact on the 30,000 wintering mice living in limestone caves. In addition, road planners should also look for breeding areas for owl steeples near the highway. There were indications during the administrative proceedings, but they were not followed, the judges complained. In addition, the effects of de-icing salt on groundwater and surface water have not been studied extensively.

2.2 billion euros in costs

Since 1992 is built on the A20. Until now, in Schleswig-Holstein however, only 39 kilometers of motorway out of 112 are completed. Since early 2018, the government of Schleswig-Holstein has transferred the planning responsibility of the A20 to the project company Deges. The cost of the project, including the planned new Elbe tunnel, is estimated at about 2.2 billion euros.