Gigaherz says Swiss Federal Court applied a newly activated zoning rule retroactively to approve a rural mast upgrade

September 23, 2026 (EMFS)

Aug 27, 2026 (original)

Source: Gigaherz.ch

Source category: Advocacy/NGO

Gigaherz.ch reports: Hansueli Jakob describes Federal Court ruling 1C_603/2025, which rejected the group's challenge to a mast upgrade at Badweg in Kirchlindach, Bern, where declared transmit power rises from 3,000 watts ERP to a short-term adaptive maximum of 251,000 watts ERP. Two paragraphs added to article 24bis of the Swiss Spatial Planning Act in 2023 were brought into force on 1 January 2026, after the appeal was filed in October 2025, and declare upgrades of existing masts outside building zones to be site-bound. The court applied the new law to the pending case on grounds of procedural economy, which Jakob says left the group's entire argument without a basis.

Note: Gigaherz.ch, founded in 2000, describes itself as the Swiss interest group of people affected by electrosmog. Hansueli Jakob heads its NIS (non-ionizing radiation) specialist unit and writes regularly on Swiss telecoms law and antenna-siting practice. This piece is his own commentary on a case in which Gigaherz was the appellant.

Quotes (our translation)

"Mobile-network installations may be permitted outside the building zones, provided that a site outside the building zones is substantially more advantageous than a site within the building zones on the basis of a comprehensive weighing of interests."

[original: "Mobilfunkanlagen können ausserhalb der Bauzonen bewilligt werden, sofern ein Standort ausserhalb der Bauzonen aufgrund einer umfassenden Interessenabwägung wesentlich vorteilhafter ist als ein Standort innerhalb der Bauzonen."]

— Article 24bis paragraph 2, Swiss Spatial Planning Act, quoted by Gigaherz.ch

"Adaptations, renewals and extensions of existing mobile-network installations outside the building zone are deemed site-bound."

[original: "Anpassungen, Erneuerungen und Erweiterungen bestehender Mobilfunkanlagen ausserhalb der Bauzone gelten als standortgebunden."]

— Article 24bis paragraph 3, Swiss Spatial Planning Act, quoted by Gigaherz.ch

"The Federal Court did confirm that appeals are to be judged according to the law that was in force at the time of filing. But here an exception is now being made and judgment given according to the new law."

[original: "Das Bundesgericht bestätigte zwar, dass Beschwerden nach demjenigen Recht zu beurteilen seien, welches zur Zeit der Eingabe in Kraft gewesen sei. Aber hier mache man jetzt eine Ausnahme und urteile nach dem neuen Recht."]

— Hansueli Jakob, Gigaherz.ch

"This solution serves procedural economy, because it prevents the building owner from having to submit a new application afterwards in order to benefit from the law more favourable to it (E. 7.3)."

[original: "Diese Lösung dient der Verfahrensökonomie, denn damit wird verhindert, dass die Bauherrschaft nachträglich ein neues Gesuch einreichen muss, um in den Genuss des für sie günstigeren Rechts zu gelangen (E. 7.3)."]

— Federal Court ruling 1C_603/2025, E5.3, quoted by Gigaherz.ch

"An increase of the total transmit power from 3000 watts ERP to 251,000 watts ERP corresponds to an increase by a factor of 83.6."

[original: "Eine Erhöhung der totalen Sendeleistung von 3000Watt ERP auf 251’000Watt ERP entspricht einer Erhöhung um das 83,6-Fache."]

— Hansueli Jakob, Gigaherz.ch

Location

📍 Switzerland

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⚖️ Swiss Federal Court dismissed a challenge to an 83-fold mast power increase by applying a zoning rule that took effect after the appeal was filed.

Source: Gigaherz.ch

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