The new mayor of Clervaux, Georges Keipes, revoked planning permission for the helipad in early September, despite his predecessor, Emile Eicher, giving the project the go-ahead prior to June’s elections.
The owners of the luxury Château d’Urspelt hotel had planned to build the helipad for their customers, but the project was met with fierce criticism from residents, as well as objections from the Directorate of Civil Aviation (DAC).
Although the former mayor expressed scepticism regarding the project, the municipal council initially approved planning permission for the helipad - a decision supported by former environment minister Carole Dieschbourg in January 2022. Local residents made their opposition to the project extremely clear, founding a citizens’ initiative to push for more transparency and information on the potential ecological ramifications of the project. Another sticking point was the obfuscation surrounding discussions for the project - which began as early as 2013 - and the number of potential flights.
Now, however, the new council, led by Keipes, has opted to withdraw authorisation for the project. In a parliamentary response to MPs Stéphanie Empain and Jessie Thill, who lost re-election for the Greens following recent elections, Minister of the Interior Taina Bofferding confirmed the project had been shelved, citing municipal autonomy with regard to general development plans (PAG) and the interpretation thereof.
There are just five landing sites for helicopters in Luxembourg, all of which are situated in or near hospital properties.
