Sonnenfeld landfill: Canton demands renewed participation process!

Sonnenfeld landfill: Canton demands renewed participation process!

On June 5, 2025, another participation process will be carried out in Eschenbach about the planned Sonnenfeld landfill. According to the canton, the process, which originally started in 2019, must be repeated due to new legal requirements. In particular, in the appeal procedure for another landfill, it was determined that a cantonal procedure is required for mining sites and landfills of supra-regional importance. This means that responsibility now lies with the canton, which issues a cantonal special use plan for the project. The canton is also responsible for public participation. The first information event will take place on June 17th, the participation process itself begins on June 18th and ends on August 17th. Feedback is possible via the cantonal participation platform, which is available at so-called e-miteffekt.ch can be reached.

The project progress in Eschenbach has caused a lot of attention in recent years. Comprehensive public participation was carried out in 2019, followed by a regional traffic report in 2021 and the issuance of revised planning documents in spring 2022. The objections received are currently being processed. As the municipality of Eschenbach reports, the cantonal construction and environmental department has surprisingly taken over the management of the project. This change of course leads to a fundamental change in the procedures - the cantonal special use plan replaces the originally planned municipal plan.

Reactions to procedural changes

The change in procedure was unexpected for the community and those involved. The approval process has so far been carried out in close coordination with the canton, which has led to a certain amount of confusion and resentment among the public. The decision to change the “rules of the game” during a process that has already been ongoing for more than five years is seen as unusual and difficult to understand. This has not only led to a delay in the process, but also to increased costs for the project initiators.

Other parties involved, including municipal and regional authorities as well as private individuals and associations, also express dissatisfaction with the abrupt change of course. The need to now repeat various steps raises questions about planning and approval transparency and leaves the affected actors in a tense situation as they are affected from a cost and scheduling perspective. Details about the new cantonal approval process are still unknown, which further increases the uncertainty.

The debate about the Sonnenfeld landfill shows once again how complex processes in the area of ​​spatial planning are and the challenges this poses for everyone involved. The participation process, which will begin soon, is eagerly awaited by many, not least to see how the various interests can be taken into account in a balanced manner.