German court: Elbe dredging project needs improving

A German court has ruled that plans to dredge the river Elbe in Hamburg have to be improved before works can continue.

The news follows the filing of a complaint by green organisations raising worries over the potential environmental impact of the fairway adjustment of the Lower and Outer Elbe.

While stating that parts of the planning process broke planning law, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig ruled that this would not mean that the city cannot get consent to dredge the river and did not cancel the planning approval.