Environmental permit granted for Brussels Airport
Flanders has approved the new environmental permit for Brussels Airport. In a press release on Friday morning, Environment minister Zuhal Demir said the permit imposes conditions “to guarantee the balance between the economic interests of the airport and liveability for the surrounding area”.
There will be no ban on night flights at Zaventem, but Demir does want to greatly reduce the number of local people suffering sleep disturbance. By 2032, the number of people affected must be reduced by 30 per cent. Quiet weekend nights will be gradually introduced to achieve this.
“Zaventem airport is a major growth engine in our country and can remain so thanks to this environment permit,” said Demir, of Flemish nationalist party N-VA.
The permit sets the ceiling for total aircraft movements at 240,000 flights a year from 2032, which still allows for 13 per cent growth from the 212,000 flights operated in 2023.
“Zaventem airport is a major growth engine in our country and can remain so thanks to this environment permit"
The Department of Care had called for an effective ban on night flights, supported by federal Mobility minister Georges Gilkinet of francophone green party Ecolo. Environmental organisation BBL wanted a limit of 220,000 flights per year, while chamber of commerce Voka wanted as few conditions in the permit as possible.
"In the short term, the continuity and development of the airport is still possible and current activities and jobs are safeguarded," Voka said in a statement on Friday. "In the longer term, the ceiling on the number of flight movements creates uncertainty about the future growth of Brussels Airport."
The 30 per cent reduction in people affected by nighttime noise from the airport by 2032 is slower than the target of the European Commission’s zero pollution action plan, which targets 30 per cent by 2030. Additional noise barriers must be installed within four years.
From summer 2025, there will be restrictions on the type of aircraft allowed to take off or land at the airport at night. The restrictions will gradually be extended in 2026, 2028 and 2030.
The permit is of indefinite duration, with conditions including the limit on total flights. If the airport operator wants a different limit in the future, it can apply for it through an update procedure, accompanied by an environmental impact report.
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