Executive Summary
The Department of Defence (VBS) opened the consultation on the seventh series of object sheets of the Military Master Plan on 11 June 2026. The series comprises five military sites: Chamblon Weapons Range (VD), Chamblon and Vugelles Shooting Ranges (VD) and Vérolliez (VS) and Locarno Military Airfield (TI). Cantons and municipalities can submit comments until 7 September 2026; the public from 12 June to 13 July 2026. In parallel, plan approval procedures are underway for the shooting ranges and the airfield.
Persons
- Department of Defence (VBS) (Federal Authority)
Topics
- Military Master Plan
- Military Infrastructure
- Spatial Planning
- Public Participation
Clarus Lead
The coordination of military infrastructure through the Military Master Plan demonstrates how the federal government regulates spatial use conflicts between defence interests and settlement development. The parallel execution of master plan procedures and plan approval procedures within the same 30-day period creates an intensive consultation phase for affected municipalities and the public with significant impacts on local spatial planning.
Detailed Summary
The Military Master Plan functions as a binding planning and coordination instrument for authorities in accordance with the Spatial Planning Act. It defines objectives and requirements for military infrastructure nationwide. The object sheets specify these requirements for individual sites and are revised in series – the current seventh series addresses five properties in the cantons of Vaud, Valais and Ticino.
For the shooting ranges, the object sheets regulate permissible noise emissions. The Vérolliez shooting range requires renovation, which triggers additional planning steps. The public participation period (30 days from 12 June) coincides temporally with the public notices of the plan approval requests, which creates a coordinated opportunity for comment but also places increased demands on information processing by municipalities and interested parties.
Key Statements
- The VBS opens the consultation on the seventh object sheet series with five military sites in three cantons
- Cantons and municipalities have until 7 September 2026 to submit comments; the public until 13 July 2026
- Master plan procedures and plan approval procedures run in parallel with identical 30-day deadlines
- Vérolliez shooting range requires renovation; noise limit values are established in object sheets
Critical Questions
Source Validity: What scientific basis and noise studies underlie the permissible noise values established in the object sheets, and how were these reconciled with local settlement structures?
Conflicts of Interest: To what extent do the object sheets take into account potential conflicts of interest between defence infrastructure needs and residential quality in adjacent municipalities, and are there independent review mechanisms?
Causality and Alternatives: Were alternative sites or renovation scenarios for the Vérolliez shooting range examined, or was on-site renovation the only evaluated option?
Feasibility: How are the parallel procedures (master plan + plan approval) coordinated, and what resources are available to smaller municipalities to develop substantively sound comments within the 30-day period?
Data Transparency: Are the object sheets and plan approval documents fully publicly accessible, or are there parts that are not disclosed for security reasons?
Sources
Primary Source: Military Master Plan: Seventh Series of Object Sheets Released for Consultation – news.admin.ch, 11.06.2026
Verification Status: ✓ 11.06.2026
This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial Responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-Check: 11.06.2026