The planned expansion of Leipzig/Halle Airport continues to cause heated debate. "In the coming years, Leipzig/Halle Airport is planning to expand its infrastructure at a cost of around 500 million euros in order to create growth prospects, particularly for freight traffic," the Saxon Ministry of Economic Affairs announced in response to an inquiry. The airport is a central building block for the economic development of the Free State and plays a key role in Central Germany as a logistics location.
"The modern airport infrastructure is a prerequisite for the further establishment and successful operation of industrial companies and research institutions," it continued. The Free State therefore has a major strategic interest in the continued positive economic development of the airport location. Since reunification, the state has invested around 1.5 billion euros in the expansion of Leipzig/Halle Airport, creating ideal conditions for further companies to settle here.
Criticism from environmentalists and the opposition
The plan has met with resistance from environmentalists, local residents and parts of the opposition. The Bund für Umwelt und Naturschutz Deutschland (BUND) recently filed a lawsuit against the expansion. It argues that it is necessary to examine whether the project is legally justifiable in view of the climate crisis and the high public costs. The planned doubling of capacity sends the wrong signal for climate protection, the association criticizes.
The Saxon Left Party sees the lawsuit as an opportunity to stop the expansion. Transport policy spokesperson Stefan Hartmann also called for higher fees for the logistics company DHL and a stronger focus on sustainable aviation technologies. The Green Party also criticized some aspects of the project: transport policy spokesperson Katja Meier called for a ban on night flights and higher take-off and landing fees in order to better protect health and the climate.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs emphasized that the protection of the population from noise and environmental impacts should continue to be in line with the development of airports.
Despite lawsuits: expansion is progressing
According to the Saxony State Directorate (LDS), which granted the expansion permit, the lawsuits have no suspensive effect and no applications have been made to establish this. This means that the airport can make use of the building rights granted.
According to the Ministry of Economics, Leipzig/Halle Airport is the fourth-largest air freight hub in Europe and ranks second in Germany. Around 1.4 million tons of freight are handled there every year.
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