In Hamburg-Moorburg on 14 November 2026, land was cleared for the planned motorway A26 East was cleared. The Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Union Nabu criticised the start of work while environmental groups were considering legal action against the amended plans. NDR reported, citing a representative of the organisation who was present at the site, that clearance work was taking place at Fürstenmoordamm.
The A26 East is intended to connect the A7 and A1 motorways in southern Hamburg. The route has been disputed for years because it is also due to cross areas of moorland. Supporters see the link as a new route for traffic serving the port. Environmental groups argue that the impact on nature and the climate has not been adequately taken into account.
The preparations are being resumed on the basis of a supplementary planning decision issued by Hamburg’s economic affairs authority on 30 October 2026. The company responsible for the project DEGES said on 5 November that it had resumed the preparatory construction work in the Moorburg section, which had begun in 2024. It cited clearing the construction site and searching for unexploded ordnance as the first steps. Immediate enforcement was ordered for this section.
According to DEGES, the roughly two-kilometre section runs from the planned Hamburg-Hafen motorway interchange on the A7 to the Hamburg-Moorburg junction. The supplementary decision therefore does not cover the entire planned route. Planning amendment procedures for the other sections, Hafen and Wilhelmsburg are still under way, according to the company.
The new decision followed a ruling by the Federal Administrative Court on 8 October 2025. The court found the original planning approval unlawful and unenforceable, but did not overturn it. Among other things, it objected that climate protection considerations had not been adequately taken into account when comparing route options. The plans could therefore still be supplemented.
Nabu and BUND announced on 5 November 2026 that they would examine the supplementary decision closely and reserve the right to take further legal action. In their view, there are still serious doubts as to whether the plans meet statutory requirements. They had not yet announced a new legal challenge.
The dispute also concerns the protection of a pair of white-tailed eagles in the area. On 8 November, the groups had already called for work to stop and warned that the birds could be disturbed. Hamburg’s environment authority told NDR that the A26 East was a federal project and that DEGES was the project developer. The authority itself was responsible for ensuring compliance with species protection requirements.
Work has therefore resumed while possible legal remedies are being considered. As of 14 November, it was unclear whether the groups would seek court protection again, and what the outcome might be.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).