Sund & Bælt Presents Alignments for the Future Airport Dike

Climate change, rising sea levels, and stronger storms are increasing the risk of more severe storm surge events in Denmark. In the capital region, future storm surges may affect homes, natural areas, roads, railways, and the airport.

Sund & Bælt is therefore investigating how a future Airport Dike, as part of the overall storm surge protection of Copenhagen, can help protect Copenhagen Airport, the Øresund Motorway, and the Øresund Railway. Together, these are pieces of critical infrastructure that are essential for mobility, emergency preparedness, and the daily functioning of society.

Recommended Alignments Are Not Final
The first phase of the work has focused on examining the area from the existing Ullerup Dike towards St. Magleby, as well as the airport area around the Kastrup Halvø and Nordstranden.

Based on an overall assessment of nature, the environment, cultural heritage, land use, emergency preparedness, access conditions, climate, resources, and economics, Sund & Bælt has now identified the alignments considered most relevant for further investigation. Alignments that are not considered feasible for construction have therefore been excluded.

“The alignments we recommend for further consideration have been identified based on the current professional and technical knowledge available. It is important to emphasise that no final decision has been made regarding the exact location of the dike. The upcoming studies will provide a better understanding of the implications of the alignments for, among other things, nature, the environment, and the economy, enabling us to provide politicians with the best possible basis for making a decision,” says Christian Henriksen, Department Manager of Environmental Sustainability & Authorities at Sund & Bælt.

Alignments to Be Investigated Further
In the area between the existing Ullerup Dike and St. Magleby, Sund & Bælt recommends examining two alignments. The first runs along Copenhagen Airport and north of Ullerup, while the second follows the landscape south of Ullerup. In the St. Magleby area, where the terrain already reaches approximately three metres above sea level, the solution will be relatively low, as the existing ground level is already high compared with other locations.

Along the section of the Airport Dike that runs near the Kastrup Halvø, the primary alignment to be investigated follows the coastline. On the section where the protection moves inland, Sund & Bælt is primarily assessing a storm surge wall located north of Kystvejen within the airport area. As an alternative, Sund & Bælt is also investigating a similar wall on the southern side of Kystvejen, still within the airport area.

Landowners Have Been Informed Directly
Landowners affected by the alignments that are now being taken forward in the Environmental Impact Assessment have been informed directly by Sund & Bælt prior to the public announcement.

“We know that a project such as the Airport Dike raises many questions, and it is therefore important for us to maintain close dialogue with the local community. We have, among other things, conducted two site visits during which local residents showed us around the area and shared their local knowledge. We will bring that knowledge into the continued work,” says Christian Henriksen.

Sund & Bælt will continue its dialogue with landowners and other stakeholders as the project develops in greater detail. As a general rule, if residents have not been contacted by Sund & Bælt, they do not own property within the area where a future storm surge protection structure may potentially be located.

The Next Steps
Once the Environmental Impact Assessment has been completed, the project will enter the public consultation and political approval process before any decision can be made regarding the final construction of the Airport Dike. At present, the project remains in the investigation phase, and it will therefore be some time before any actual construction of the storm surge protection system could potentially begin.

The Environmental Impact Assessment is expected to be submitted for public consultation in autumn 2027 and subsequently for political consideration at the end of 2027.

Read more about the Airport Dike on Sund & Bælt’s website here.

Facts About the Alignments

The Airport Dike consists of three sections that will be investigated in greater detail.
The southern section follows the existing Ullerup Dike, which will be raised and expanded.
Several possible alignments have been examined in the area between Ullerup, St. Magleby, and Englandsvej. On this section, Sund & Bælt recommends continuing work on an alignment running from the Ullerup Dike along the airport area to Englandsvej, provided it can comply with Copenhagen Airport’s safety requirements. Until this has been clarified, an alternative alignment south of Ullerup and towards Englandsvej will also remain under consideration.
At the Kastrup Halvø, two possible alignments have been assessed. The primary difference concerns the southern section near Kystvejen, where the protection structure can either be located on the southern or northern side of the road.

Facts About the Airport Dike

The Airport Dike is intended to contribute to the storm surge protection of Copenhagen and protect critical infrastructure on Amager.
The alignment must be examined through an Environmental Impact Assessment before a final decision can be made.
The Environmental Impact Assessment will examine impacts on nature, the environment, cultural heritage, land use, emergency preparedness, access conditions, climate, resources, and economics.

About Sund & Bælt
For decades, Sund & Bælt has been involved in investigating, establishing, and operating major marine infrastructure facilities such as the Great Belt Link and the Øresund Link. Flood protection is an integrated part of Sund & Bælt’s work to establish and operate these facilities.