Plans for new hotels in central Copenhagen at risk of being rejected by municipality

Up to 13 future hotels in the Danish capital face potential rejection by Copenhagen Municipality. The city council’s Climate, Technology, and Environment Committee will vote on Monday evening whether to approve 13 planned hotel projects in the Inner City district, including locations at Kultorvet, Rådhuspladsen, and Halmtorvet.

Several politicians in Copenhagen Municipality want to slow down the development of new hotels, citing concerns about the impact on local residents and the character of the city. Morten Melchiors, group leader for the Conservatives in the city council, argues that the city should not become a “stage set” for tourists.

“The reason is that we simply also want real people to live in the Inner City. Copenhagen should not be a stage set,” Melchiors said. He added that hotels are putting pressure on the ability of locals to live and shop in the central district.

The local council’s chairperson, Bent Lohmann, expressed similar concerns, noting that the increase in tourist accommodations has led to increased traffic and rising rents, which in turn have caused some areas to become depopulated.

However, the hotel industry criticizes the plans, with Jeppe Møller-Herskind, managing director of the Danish Hotel and Restaurant Association (Horesta), arguing that limiting tourism development will harm the city’s growth and appeal.

“We are upset that as Denmark’s capital, (Copenhagen) chooses to limit the development of tourism and experiences—including the possibility of staying overnight in the Inner City,” Møller-Herskind said. He also disputed the claim that the hotels have negative consequences for locals.

The committee’s decision will determine the fate of the 13 proposed hotel projects.

Source: DR