Poland’s Supreme Administrative Court definitively ruled Tuesday in favor of the controversial Stobnica Castle construction, dismissing a final appeal by environmental authorities.
Castle Construction Legal, Court Rules
The Supreme Administrative Court (NSA) on Tuesday dismissed a cassation complaint filed by the General Director for Environmental Protection regarding the so-called castle in Stobnica, confirming that the building permit was issued lawfully. This marks the final administrative resolution concerning the investment.
Initial Concerns and Investigations
Construction of the large structure, styled as a medieval castle, began in 2015 within the Natura 2000 area, following the issuance of a building permit. The project gained prominence in the summer of 2018 when the Central Anti-Corruption Bureau (CBA) launched an investigation into the validity of decisions related to the construction. The Minister of the Environment subsequently ordered an urgent review of the permitting process, and the case was also referred to the prosecutor’s office.
Regional Directorate Reversal and Subsequent Appeals
In late April 2019, the Regional Directorate for Environmental Protection in Poznań (RDOŚ) revoked its May 2015 decision outlining the conditions for the Stobnica investment and opposed its implementation. Initially, RDOŚ had determined the construction would have no negative environmental impact and did not require an environmental decision. However, the Directorate reversed its stance after discovering the area transformed for the project exceeded the investor’s declared 1.7 hectares, exceeding 2 hectares and triggering the need for an environmental impact assessment.
Court Upholds Original Permit After Procedural Issues
The GDOŚ upheld the RDOŚ decision in July 2019, prompting the investor to appeal to the court. The Warsaw Administrative Court overturned the GDOŚ decision in March 2020. The General Directorate filed a cassation complaint with the NSA, which was initially rejected in March 2024 due to a procedural error regarding the filing deadline. The NSA later resumed proceedings following a request from a public party.
Final Ruling: Improper Implementation Doesn’t Invalidate Permit
On Tuesday, the NSA definitively dismissed the GDOŚ’s cassation appeal against the 2020 ruling, stating that improper implementation of the project by the company does not invalidate the original decision. Judge Jerzy Stelmasiak explained that the increased area was only determined *after* the project’s implementation, and therefore could not be grounds for reopening the case.
Conditions for Reopening a Case Not Met
Judge Stelmasiak emphasized that, according to regulations, a case can only be reopened if “significant new circumstances” emerge that could have led to a different outcome, and that these circumstances must have existed at the time of the original decision and were unknown to the issuing authority.
Administrative Proceedings Concluded
Aneta Fornalik, the investor’s attorney, stated that with the NSA’s ruling, all administrative proceedings regarding the Stobnica castle construction have been conclusively resolved. She affirmed that no decision has been overturned in a way that would halt construction, and that the building permits remain legal.
Future of the Investment Remains Unclear
Construction is formally ongoing. The “castle” is officially a multi-family residential building, and the investor’s plans to potentially convert it into a hotel remain unknown.
Further Rulings and Ongoing Criminal Proceedings
In March 2025, the NSA dismissed cassation complaints related to the castle’s construction filed by, among others, the Chief Inspector of Building Supervision. Separately, a criminal trial concerning irregularities during construction has been underway since November 2023 at the Oborniki Regional Court, involving representatives of the investor and public officials.