The Augsburg Administrative Court halted the construction of the Scheidtobelbahn in an expedited proceeding. The trigger was a lawsuit filed by the Bavarian Association for Bird and Nature Conservation (LBV). The judges ordered the preliminary stop because it remains unclear whether the permit without an environmental review complies with EU law.
The Fellhornbahn GmbH, operator of the lift, is not waiting for the final decision. “This creates the conditions to develop the project swiftly on a legally sound basis,” a spokesperson for the Oberstdorf Kleinwalsertal Bergbahnen said. The company has already started the environmental impact assessment.
The Oberallgäu district office had waived such an assessment – relying on the third Bavarian Modernization Act, which aims to reduce bureaucracy. The Scheidtobelbahn was the first project approved under this regulation. The LBV is demanding a complete construction stop, including for slope work. “As long as the legality of this project is not conclusively clarified, no further damage must occur,” said LBV managing director Helmut Beran. The area is considered a habitat of the endangered black grouse.
Source: Stadt München
