Building dispute over new airport hotel Real estate company fights Mövenpick all the way to the Federal Supreme Court

Mövenpick wants to build a hotel in Glattbrugg ZH. This is being opposed by Priora AG, which owns the surrounding land. The Federal Supreme Court has rejected a further appeal. Nevertheless, there is no end in sight.

Mövenpick AG wants to build a new hotel in Glattbrugg on the site of its original headquarters. However, a well-funded neighbor has been fighting the project for years: Priora AG, which emerged from Swissair after its bankruptcy. This company owns the land around the plot on which Mövenpick wants to build.

Priora AG is fighting a legal battle against the traffic development, the parking lot calculation, the partial dismantling of a turning area, roofing and sewage pipes, as reported by the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper. Most recently, the company contested the wastewater connection permit issued by the city of Opfikon directly before the Federal Supreme Court; the objector did not even appeal to the usual first and second instance courts.

The Federal Supreme Court has now decided against this. The appeal is inadmissible as it is not directed against an earlier decision by the Administrative Court, which had already ruled against Priora AG in 2022. The federal judges also recalled their 2022 decision in this matter, to which they were bound.

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At that time, Priora had appealed against a decision by the Administrative Court. The Federal Supreme Court ruled that this was only an interim decision that could not be appealed against. The new appeal is therefore also not admissible.

Priora AG has its own plans for the area

Priora AG has economic reasons for opposing Mövenpick's plans - namely its own development projects "First District" and "Airport City". These projects cover the area around Balsberg station and the Mövenpick site.

The city of Opfikon and the cantonal building department are now examining the next steps for approval of the construction project. It is still unclear whether a legal remedy for third parties will have to be opened for the partial removal of the turning area and the traffic access to the new hotel. Approval of the parking space calculation is also still pending.

The media office of Mövenpick's parent company Accor in Munich has not yet commented on the further plans.

Patricia Meier, Head of the Building and Infrastructure Department of the City of Opfikon, explained to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper that the municipality is examining the next steps and is in contact with the cantonal building department.

The decision of the Federal Supreme Court is only a stage victory for Mövenpick. There are still numerous other procedural steps that Priora can appeal against. It remains to be seen if and when Mövenpick will be able to start construction.