The airport in the Antwerp district of Deurne – scrutinised last summer following revelations that most of its flights were domestic – has applied for a new environmental permit. The application has prompted a local action group to call on the public to object en masse to the permit.
Airport Operating Company (LEM Antwerp) submitted the application to renew its environment permit on 15 June 2023 – a year before the current permit expires on 17 June 2024. The public enquiry officially opened on Thursday, meaning anyone can now view the file for 30 days.
"We want to stress that we are not applying to expand our operations; we just want to continue as we do today," Tom Rutsaert, spokesperson for Antwerp Airport, told The Brussels Times. "This means that future operations will not increase nuisance to local residents."
Rutsaert stated that the airport hopes to further develop "in a sustainable way", with a mix of scheduled flights, business flights and pilot training.
The runway of the regional Antwerp Airport in Deurne. Credit: Belga/ Jonas Roosens
A noise action plan aims to reduce ground and ambient noise by electrifying handling equipment and service vehicles, which will also reduce pollution. "We are focussing on electric flying, with quieter and more fuel-efficient aircraft." The plan also considers a soundproofing wall.
The airport also wishes to end training flights on Saturdays from 14:00 during the summer months. "Training flights were already not carried out on Sundays and public holidays; adding Saturday afternoons is a measure we are taking for local residents."
Rutsaert emphasised management efforts to cooperate with local residents. "We will seize every opportunity to make the airport more sustainable and further reduce inconvenience."
Forever in disagreement?
Meanwhile, local action group Vliegerplein, which has opposed the airport for years, said it will study the application thoroughly. "We are going to file an objection," Piet De Roeck of Vliegerplein told VRT. "The last word has not yet been said about the illegal expansion of the airport."
On Friday morning however, the court ruled that the expansion plans are not illegal. The correctional court ruled that the criminal claim issued by the Public Prosecutor was unfounded and insisted that applicable regulations had been adhered to.
The Vliegerplein action group reacted with disappointment and said on social media that this ruling is only an intermediate step. "The entire file will be collated on 24 April and will then go to the Court of Appeal. Based on all the complaints and official reports, the court will then render a final judgment."
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Yet Rutsaert stressed that these court proceedings are separate from the airport's renewal application for the environmental permit. "The two cases have nothing to do with each other."
Still, Vliegerplein is calling for mass objections to the new application. "We will inform neighbours via social media and a big flyer campaign," De Roeck said. "We assume other organisations like ours will do the same. The airport promises to become more sustainable but one has to respect the surrounding nature. The airport simply ignores several reports that have been drawn up. It is shocking."
On Thursday 29 February, the airport and the city of Antwerp, Borsbeek and Mortsel are organising a digital info session on the public enquiry, which is open to everyone.
