Freiburg (dpa/lsw) – There has been a dispute for a long time, now a court has decided: For the time being, no trees may be felled to lay a gas pipe in a future new development area in Freiburg. As the Freiburg administrative court announced on Tuesday, it granted an urgent application from the environmental protection organization Nabu against the planned felling in the west of the Black Forest metropolis.
According to the city administration, trees in an area of around 3,000 square meters should be felled in order to lay a supra-regional gas pipeline, which currently crosses the planned Dietenbach district, along a different route. The clearing, which was approved by the regional council, has been sparking protests for a long time. “Hands off the Dietenbachwald” can be read on banners at the edge of the forest. Activists also occupied trees.
The court concluded that the responsible regional council had not examined an alternative route with less interference with the forest. There is much to suggest that the gas pipeline does not have to run 120 meters through the forest.
The alliance “Hands off the Dietenbachwald!” welcomed the court decision. “This means that the trees in the forest cannot be removed until further notice.” However, a decision has not yet been made regarding a lawsuit against the regional council’s decision.
As the city announced, construction is continuing for the new Dietenbach district. Trees are also felled in the extensive area for canal work. But that does not affect the disputed area for the gas pipeline. The new district will be built by 2042 for around 16,000 people. The Breisgau city with many students suffers from a chronic housing shortage. Around 6,900 apartments are planned for the area. In a referendum in 2019, over 60 percent of Freiburg residents spoke out in favor of the project.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:231017-99-593917/3
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