Region Sjælland approves controversial raw materials plan despite local opposition

Region Sjælland’s council voted Tuesday to adopt a revised raw materials plan, opening nine new quarry sites across the region to secure future supplies of gravel, sand, and stone for construction—despite protests from residents facing increased noise and traffic near their homes.

The decision, backed by 31 of the 35 council members, designates 287 hectares for extraction, a reduction of 61 hectares from the original proposal following public consultation. Among the affected areas is Stenlille, Midtsjælland, where resident Charlotte Lund’s property borders one of the newly approved sites.

“This will be the end of peace in my garden,” Lund said, pointing to existing wind turbines, a wastewater treatment plant, and a large solar farm nearby. “We’ve already contributed enough. At some point, the scales have to balance—what weighs more, raw materials or people’s quality of life?”

The plan, developed by the Committee for Green Transition, Sustainability, and Environment, follows roughly 400 public responses during consultation. Committee chair Bruno Jerup of the Red-Green Alliance defended the outcome, stating, “We’ve spent significant time on this and haven’t ignored citizens’ concerns.”

Denmark sourced nearly two-thirds of its 26 million cubic meters of raw materials domestically in 2024, according to Statistics Denmark. The new quarries aim to maintain supply for infrastructure projects, though Lund now questions whether to stay. “I don’t want to live next to a gravel pit,” she said. “But can we even sell our home now?”