As of: January 23, 2024, 12:37 p.m
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Behind Drachenburg Castle (r) and Drachenfels Castle, clouds of fog drift through the Rhine Valley.
© Oliver Berg/dpa
The North Rhine-Westphalian Higher Administrative Court in Münster has temporarily stopped the conversion of a tourist building on Drachenfels near Königswinter.
The court upheld a complaint from the environmental organization BUND, as the OVG announced on Tuesday.
The NRW regional association has not yet had any success in the Cologne Administrative Court in the lower court.
Münster - The OVG decision cannot be appealed (ref.: 21 B 1144/23 from 22).
The judges in Münster are convinced that the Rhein-Sieg district, as the lower nature conservation authority, has issued an unlawful exception and exemption notice for the building conversion and six parking spaces in the Siebengebirge nature reserve.
The castle courtyard, which was operated as a hotel until 1989, is to be operated under a new owner as a hiking hostel with holiday apartments and restaurants.
There is also a building permit for this.
The BUND is also challenging this before the administrative court.
There is no decision yet.
According to the announcement, the exception and exemption decision that has now been overturned is unlawful because the plaintiff's rights to participate were violated.
A comprehensive written statement from the owner had not been sent to BUND before the decree was issued.
The OVG judges also found deficiencies in the impact assessment for the FFH area (flora-fauna-habitat).
The effects of the planned extensive indoor lighting on existing light-sensitive species have not been examined.
The impact of possible vehicle movements caused by the operation on the protected area was also not comprehensibly assessed by the district.
dpa