Nine municipal authorities from both the Flemish and Dutch provinces of Limburg have lodged an appeal with the Belgian Council of State against a new operating permit that has been granted to Liège Airport by the Walloon Government. It is the third time that the municipalities, some of which are located not much more than a dozen kilometres from the airport, have gone to Council of State.
Flemish and Dutch municipalities lodge appeal against Liège Airport’s new operating permit
Published:
On the previous two occasions the operating permit was withdrawn before the Council of State had given a ruling. The latest permit was granted by the Walloon Government in July. As was the case with previous legal challenges Walloon municipalities that are adjacent to the airport are not challenging the permit, while Flemish and Dutch local authorities that are further away are.
The Flemish municipalities challenging the Liège Airport’s operating permit include Riemst, Bilzen-Hoeselt, Tongeren-Borgloon, Gingelom and Voeren (pending approval at the next municipal council meeting). In Dutch Limburg, Eijsden-Margraten, Gulpen-Wittem, Vaals and Maastricht are involved.
The municipal authorities fear that the new operating permit will have an adverse impact on noise pollution and the environment for their around 280,000 residents. The new permit allows for a sizable increase in the number of flights at Liège Airport (from 35,000 to 55,000 flights per annum). In addition to noise nuisance issues, the South Limburg municipalities say that cross-border health and environmental effects were not assessed when the decision was made to grant the permit.