Hjørring municipality demands removal of illegal coastal protection near Lønstrup by October 2024

Concrete, sand, and 650 tons of Norwegian granite must be removed by October 28, 2024, according to Hjørring Municipality. Earlier this year, four summer homeowners received this notification, but as the deadline approaches, illegal coastal protection remains in place near Lønstrup. “Now we need to look at what further actions will be taken in this matter,” stated Thomas Lomholt, a special consultant with the municipality.

The homeowners have had ample time to remove the illegal structures, with the situation dating back to 2016. They placed large granite stones along the cliff to protect their summer homes from coastal erosion, a move that was swiftly deemed illegal by the district court. Despite this, they continued with the project in 2017, utilizing a bulldozer to push soil and sand down the cliff, topped with liquid concrete.

In 2023, their case was upheld by the High Court, and they were fined 425,000 kroner for violating the Coastal Protection Act. Attempts to take the matter to the Supreme Court were denied earlier this year. In August, the municipality insisted on the removal of the coastal protection, but the homeowners have yet to comply.

Hjørring Municipality now has two options: file a police report against the homeowners for noncompliance or remove the illegal structures themselves and bill the homeowners. Leaving the granite and concrete in the protected Natura 2000 area is not an option. Lomholt emphasized the necessity of addressing erosion problems in adjacent areas caused by hard coastal protection measures, despite the apparent effectiveness of the illegal structure.

Natura 2000 areas in the EU are designated to protect rare and endangered species and habitats. Denmark has approximately 250 Natura 2000 sites, representing nine percent of its land area and 28 percent of its marine area. Efforts to reach the homeowners or their attorney for comment have been unsuccessful.