Neighboring municipality requests the annulment of the new environmental permit for Brussels Airport (Zaventem)

The Kortenberg Aldermen requests the annulment of the new environmental permit of the Brussels Airport Company (BAC) nv, which was approved by Minister Zuhal Demir (N-VA) at the end of March. The municipality previously also gave negative advice about the application.

Brussels Airport’s previous environmental permit expires on July 8, 2024. The airport therefore submitted an application for renewal to the Flemish government. That application was approved at the end of March, despite negative advice from Kortenberg and objections from five other municipalities.

The Kortenberg municipal council is not happy with the approval. “Although we recognize the economic importance of the airport and certainly do not aim for its closure, we believe that the renewed permit does not sufficiently take the residents of Kortenberg into account,” it said. “The conditions imposed are insufficient to guarantee the much-needed balance between economic interests and the quality of life for local residents. The health measures approved are purely symbolic and not based on the results of a study.”

In addition, the council is concerned about the fact that the environmental permit applies for an indefinite period, which makes changes regarding night flights, for example, difficult in the future. Finally, the municipality is also critical of the plans to ‘optimize’ the L25 – Kortenberg runway. “Our Kortenberg reduction plan clearly states that an extension of the runways and/or runways cannot be considered,” it said.

The municipality will hire a lawyer and will argue the case before the Council for Permit Disputes.(hsb)