PRESS: Developer Guynai sues Domodedovo to block 3rd runway

MOSCOW, Jul 5 (PRIME) -- Russian real estate developer Gyunai has filed a suit against Domodedovo International Airport to the Moscow Arbitration Court seeking to block construction of the airport’s third runway, Vedomosti business daily reported on Wednesday quoting the suit.

Gyunai wants to block all development of the airport not envisaged by a 2010–2020 government target program for development of Russia’s transport system, which does not cover the third runway. The court registered the suit and scheduled the first hearing for July 10, the business daily reported.

Guynai is worried about the third runway, which may be launched in 2020, because of its buffer zone. The company signed an investment contract with the city of Domodedovo in 2003, under which it is to tear down 171 houses built in 1940s–1950s and build high-rise apartment blocks and social infrastructure instead.

But land for the construction is located within 30 kilometers of the airport, and the company has to coordinate all construction with the Federal Air Transport Agency. In 2014, the agency approved construction of two buildings, but in 2015 it blocked construction of three high-rise buildings saying that they will suffer from excessive aviation noise because of their proximity to the airport.

Gyunai wanted to force the agency to issue the approval through court, but the court said that it will be able to measure the noise only after the third runway has been launched.

The agency, the government of the Moscow Region, Guinai and Domodedovo declined to comment.

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