France’s government said Wednesday it was shelving plans to build a new airport in the west of the country, ending a dispute that has prompted nearly a decade of sometimes violent protests, reports FRANCE 24.
In an avidly awaited announcement in France, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe said the "stiff opposition" made it impossible to proceed with the proposed new airport near the bustling city of Nantes, adding: "The project is therefore abandoned."
Instead, Philippe said existing airports in Nantes and the Breton city of Rennes would be expanded to meet the growing demand for air transport in the region.
President Emmanuel Macron, who took office in May, promised a quick decision after years of indecision and political squabbles over the development. The issue has poisoned French politics and spawned a hardline protest movement.
Prior to the announcement, police deployed extra forces to the airport’s proposed site of Notre-Dame-des-Landes, north of Nantes, where protesters have been camping out for years in a bid to halt the project.