Life is a little easier if you are on good terms with your neighbours. This applies at home on the residential road, and it applies on Europe’s largest construction site. Therefore, Femern A/S makes a great effort to nurture the relationship with the castles in Rødbyhavn and the immediate surroundings. At the weekend, the developer, together with the FLC consortium, had invited the neighbors to the “Open Construction Site”. The event attracted 250 locals, and thus the free Sunday excursion was sold out.
Dialogue is important
Communications manager for Femern A/S, Morten Kramer Nielsen, says that good neighborliness has a high priority:
The cooperation and dialogue with the local community is very important to us, and we are happy about the great support and interest from our neighbours. That is why we make an extra effort to ensure that the people who live and travel close to the construction site have the opportunity to see what is going on behind the fence. We also have electronic newsletters and ongoing dialogue with the neighbors about conditions in the project area, says Morten Kramer Nielsen.
Local attraction
All in all, the construction is a bit of a local attraction. In fact, the exhibition center in Rødbyhavn attracts more visitors in a year than the local Museum Lolland-Falster. However, the neighbor events are far from just for the sake of the audience, explains Morten Kramer Nielsen:
It is valuable for us to hear what questions the neighbors have, so that we can ensure that the information is easily accessible. It is often a wonder about something they have seen, but in general the locals are extremely well versed in the project, and they can ask many good technical questions, he says.
Only for special invitees
The construction site visits are only for specially invited guests – and therefore the construction site’s neighbours. Because although the curiosity is great, the Fehmarn project is first and foremost a workplace and not a tourist attraction:
The Fehmarn Belt Tunnel is one of Europe’s largest and busiest construction sites, and no access to the public without permission from FLC or FBC. It also requires a safety course and full safety equipment to move around the construction area itself. When visiting neighbours, you can make do with a reflective vest and helmet, because they only travel in special areas of the construction site together with our people. The trips also typically take place outside normal working hours, when the activity level is lower, says Morten Kramer Nielsen.
Will continue next year
The neighbor tours are not a standard product and the construction site is a dynamic size. But it is certain that the tradition will continue next year:
Until now, we have held them approximately twice a year, and we expect to hold similar trips in 2023. The content of the trip changes in line with the progress of the project, and we try to show something new at each event, says Morten Kramer Nielsen.
