Local Round-Up: Copenhagen Airport outlines seven-year, 4.5 billion kroner expansion plans

In other news, half of the Mjølnerparken housing estate has been sold to a private property company, and six weeks of noisy construction work is promised to the residents of Nordhavn

Copenhagen Airport has confirmed its expansion plans following confirmation there is broad political agreement for the framework of its development.

The seven-year, 4.5 billion kroner expansion will enable improved security, better access to public transport, improved facilities for airlines, larger baggage claim and passport control areas, and adjustments to runways and hangars to offer more accommodation to more preferable aircraft – i.e less noisy, more fuel-efficient.

Since 1994, the number of households affected by unacceptably noise pollution has fallen from 18,213 to 2,126.

The goal is to halve this number by 2050.

No fewer festive flights than normal
Meanwhile, Copenhagen Airport has reported an airline cancellation rate of no more than 2 percent for December, which is no more than normal.

While corona has led to many cancellations worldwide, weather has also played a factor, and Copenhagen Airport has not been unduly affected.

A number of airlines took action in November to reschedule December flights, but nothing out of the ordinary.

However, SAS was forced to cancel about 60 of 600 flights in the build-up to Christmas due to sickness among its employees. 


Coming soon to Mjølnerparken: renovated pads with a balcony
Some 260 apartments in the notorious Mjølnerparken housing estate – equating to approximately half of its residences – are being sold to the private property company NREP. The decision by the owner, the housing company Bo-Vita, is in line with the government’s 2018 plans to transform the housing estate by evicting a large proportion of its public housing tenants and replacing them with private tenants occupying newly-renovated apartments. The upshot of the sale is that public housing will soon only account for 40 percent of the residences. NREP, which will assume ownership in 2023, has promised the renovated apartments will be affordable and come with new kitchens and bathrooms, as well as a balcony. 

READ MORE: Mjølnerparken resident lawsuit a step closer to High Court

Six weeks of “annoying” noisy construction work expected in Nordhavn
Residents in Nordhavn can look forward to six weeks of noisy construction work from January 10 onwards should they live in the vicinity of Pakhus 53 on Sundmolen. A 100-metre stretch of canal is being laid out to cross Sundmolen, and the first six weeks of work will focus on constructing the walls. It will involve lots of iron-on-iron work as huge steel sheets are knocked into place. The sound, which will continue Monday to Friday from 08:00-17:00, is generally described as “annoying”.

New bathing zone takes city’s total to eight, with a ninth in the works
City Hall opened a new bathing zone on December 23 that is ideally suited to the needs of winter bathers. Located on Havnegade, which runs between
Knippelsbro and entry to Nyhavn, the zone comes equipped with a ostensibly wooden structure that includes a pontoon and a staircase down to the water. The pool comes with an adjustable bottom. Another zone is due to open at Teglholm Brygge in the spring, taking the total number of zones in Copenhagen to nine.

Hipster pissoir: New toilet promised for visitors to Dronning Louise Bro
A new public toilet will open to accommodate visitors to Dronning Louise Bro, the bridge that passes over the City Lakes from the centre to Nørrebro. A mecca for hipsters and tourists over the summer, the area has a bad rep for its lack of facilities, but now City Hall has approved plans to set up a toilet trailer at Sortedam Dosseringen 1 – the first right after crossing over into Cph N – which could be in place by June. However, the municipality has cautiously confirmed it will be ready for use by the autumn.




  • The Lynch Interviews: Fergal O’Byrne

    The Lynch Interviews: Fergal O’Byrne

    English-Australian writer and theatre director Stuart Lynch contributes a monthly column titled “The Lynch Interviews”. In this series, he engages with prominent internationals residing in Denmark or Danish individuals with a global perspective. For April, he interviews Irish playwright and writer Fergal O’Byrne, fresh from an acclaimed season of a new English-language play in Copenhagen.

  • Why your talented internationals aren’t moving up the ladder – and what to do about it

    Why your talented internationals aren’t moving up the ladder – and what to do about it

    Many internationals find it difficult to advance in their new workplaces, and some quietly leave. It’s not because they lack talent. In Denmark, careers are shaped not only by skills but also by cultural understanding, informal networks, and social signals. However, internationals may not be familiar with this system or know how to navigate it

  • The international behind Donkey Republic: how a Turkish systems thinker reimagined urban mobility in Denmark

    The international behind Donkey Republic: how a Turkish systems thinker reimagined urban mobility in Denmark

    Erdem Ovacık, co-founder of Donkey Republic, built one of Europe’s leading bike-sharing companies from Denmark — but success as an international entrepreneur hasn’t come easy

  • Denmark hits 66.2 million overnight stays: what’s fueling the rise?

    Denmark hits 66.2 million overnight stays: what’s fueling the rise?

    In 2024, Denmark saw 1.5 million more overnight stays than in 2023, bringing the total to 66.2 million staying in hotels, holiday centers, campsites, and youth hostels. It’s clear: after COVID-19, traveling is now back on the table. But the question is: why are people choosing Denmark?

  • World Cup in Ice Hockey will face off in Herning

    World Cup in Ice Hockey will face off in Herning

    As in 2018, Denmark will co-host the Ice Hockey World Championship. And once again, Herning and Jyske Bank Boxen will be the hosts. Denmark is in Pool B and starts tonight with a match against the USA, which, given the political tensions between the two countries, may be an icy affair.

  • Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    Diplomatic tensions between US and Denmark after spying rumors

    A Wall Street Journal article describes that the US will now begin spying in Greenland. This worries the Danish foreign minister, who wants an explanation from the US’s leading diplomat. Greenlandic politicians think that Trump’s actions increase the sense of insecurity

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.