Building and protection lines

Here you can read how we ensure that no construction takes place around coasts, lakes, streams, ancient monuments, forests and churches.

Building and protection lines in the open country must ensure that the immediate surroundings of the coasts, lakes and streams, and around ancient monuments, forests and churches are kept free of buildings and other significant landscape interventions.

Unless you have been granted a dispensation from the municipality, you may typically not place buildings, caravans, sheds, fences, plantings or change the terrain, subdivide or use the area for anything else within the zone of the protection lines in question.

What lines of protection are there to take into account?

The following lines of protection must be taken into account:

  • Beach protection line (§ 15)
    The beach protection line secures the coasts 300 m inland, and dispensations can only be granted by the Coastal Directorate. 
  • Sea and open protection line (§ 16)
    The lake and open protection line protects 150 m from lakes, streams and streams, and dispensations can only be granted by Sonderborg Municipality.
  • Forest construction line (§ 17)
    The forest construction line protects 300 m from forests, and dispensations can only be granted by Sonderborg Municipality.
  • Antiquities protection line (§ 18)
    The ancient monument protection line protects 100 m from ancient monuments, and dispensations can only be granted by Sonderborg Municipality.
  • Church building line (§ 19) 
    The church building line protects 300 m from churches, and exemptions can only be granted by Sønderborg Municipality.
Do I need a dispensation?

Many projects - such as construction and civil engineering - require in addition to a land zone permit also dispensation from one or more building and protection lines. You must only start the project if the municipality announces a dispensation from the Nature Conservation Act, and if no complaints have been received within a period of 4 weeks.

If you wish to apply for exemption from the beach protection line, you must apply to the Coastal Directorate. If you wish to apply for exemption from the other lines of protection, you must send the application to Sønderborg Municipality. Contact information can be found further down the page. You must describe and justify the desired project and especially justify why the project cannot lie outside the construction and protection line. You must attach map material showing the location and extent of what is applied for, and drawing material showing any buildings.

All registered owners must sign the application or you must enclose a power of attorney from the owners.

How is the process around an application?

If it is an application within the forest construction line, we send the project to the forest owner for consultation. If it is an application within the historical monument protection line, we send the project for consultation at Museum Sønderjylland. If it is an application within the church building line, we send the project to Haderslev Stift for consultation. The opinions received are collected in the final assessment.

In each individual case, a concrete assessment and weighing of the Nature Protection Act's purpose, main rule, considerations and exceptions must be carried out. We send the decision to the applicant. If a dispensation is granted, we will also send the decision to other persons entitled to appeal.

You may only use the exemption when the appeal period has expired. Both citizens and interest organizations can complain. If a complaint is lodged, you may only use the dispensation if the Environmental and Food Complaints Board approves this. If a complaint is made about the dispensation, the municipality immediately informs the applicant.

Please note that in construction cases you must also apply for a building permit. Sønderborg Municipality can only grant a building permit when the appeal deadline for dispensation has expired and when all relevant material for the construction case processing has been received. A dispensation lapses if it has not been used within three years.

Who should I contact if I want to complain?

You can appeal a decision via the complaint portal at Nævnenes Hus. When you complain, you must pay a fee of DKK 900 if you are a private person, and for companies and organizations the amount is DKK 1.800. You pay the fee with a payment card in the complaint portal. The appeal period expires 4 weeks after the decision has been announced. If the decision is publicly announced, the appeal deadline is always counted from the announcement.

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Forest edge

Contact us

Build and Housing
Lille Rådhusgade 7
6400 Sønderborg

Phone hours:

Monday - Wednesday: 9.00 am - 15.00 pm
Thursday: 9.00 am - 17.00 pm
Friday: 9.00 am - 14.00 pm