30. 06. 10. - 11:00

Nesting owls rule out open air arena plans

Town hall officials have scrapped an ambitious open air theatre project after finding rare owls nesting in the area.

Council chiefs in Kopfing, Upper Austria, said today (Weds) they decided to pull the plug on their plans for a spectacular 1,500-seat outdoor event arena over fears of legal pressure from environmentalists.

Experts warned the town hall they might face court action by campaigners as an Eurasian eagle owl pair was nesting in the local forest.

Potential investors however have criticised council bosses saying organised explosions at a nearby stone pit had not concerned activists in the past.