“No green light from UNESCO committee”: councilor refutes statement about controversial solar panels (Bruges)

“The Flemish UNESCO committee has not spoken positively about the solar panels of the Tanuki restaurant.” This is what councilor for Spatial Planning Franky Demon (CD&V) says.

Twelve solar panels on a building in the Oude Gentweg have been the subject of a dispute for months between restaurant operator Ivan Verhelle of Tanuki and the city of Bruges. The city does not want to grant a permit for the installation because the panels are visible from Katelijnestraat. Verhelle told Het Nieuwsblad that he was considering an appeal against the decision. According to Verhelle, UNESCO sees no problem with the solar panels, but according to Alderman Demon, that is not correct. According to the aldermen, the Flemish UNESCO Commission did not pass a judgment on the matter, but only referred it to the existing regulations on the one hand and to the city as the competent authority on the other. “The secretary of the Flemish UNESCO Commission reacted dissatisfied to this statement,” Demon said.

The city refused the permit in the first instance, the deputation of the province of West Flanders confirmed that decision last month. An appeal is possible with the Council for Permit Disputes.

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