The noise protection blocks construction projects throughout the canton of Zurich. A new federal court decision now supports this strict interpretation.
—
–One of the blocked projects: BG Oberstrass is planning new buildings with over 100 apartments on Winterthurerstrasse.
Photo: Urs Jaudas
The youngest combat zone is not far from the Zurich-Wipkingen train station. A cooperative is planning new buildings with 22 apartments on Rotbuchstrasse. Everything went according to plan, the city’s building permit was in place. But then an objection to the project brought about the turning point. The administrative court revoked the building permit: the new building did not protect the residents enough from the noise of the street.
Some projects in the canton of Zurich recently stumbled upon noise protection: the planned one Brunaupark development (500 apartments), a project by the Oberstrass building cooperative (134 apartments), a development by the Swisscanto Investment Foundation on Bederstrasse (124 apartments) and new buildings in Schwerzenbach (128 apartments). The judges turned start a new practice. They rated the noise exemption permits issued by the canton, which had often been generously issued up to then, as inadequate and thus received permits for buildings on loud streets. This, in turn, gave newcomers a new lever to take action against unpleasant projects – even if they weren’t interested in the health of the future residents.
