EU causes fresh delay to plans for new French airport
In February prime minister Manuel Valls promised that work would begin on a controversial new airport at Notre-Dame-des-Landes near Nantes in western France by the autumn. Yet despite a much-criticised local referendum that backed the plan, there are no immediate signs that construction work is about to begin, or even that the protesters who currently occupy the site face imminent eviction. The latest hold-up has been caused by demands from Brussels for information on the wider environmental impact of the project, which could see the start of work delayed until next year. Aurélie Delmas reports.
InIn February prime minister Manuel Valls promised that work on the construction of a new airport at Notre-Dame-des-Landes near Nantes in western France would begin “in the autumn”. Then in late June a controversial local referendum pronounced in favour of the bitterly-opposed scheme. Yet despite that, building work on the site – which is currently occupied by protesters – still shows no sign of starting.
