Antwerp Airport has been granted a new environmental permit for an indefinite duration, with strict conditions imposed by Flanders’ Environment Minister Zuhal Demir. The permit includes a ban on night flights, noise standards, the construction of a noise barrier, and rigorous monitoring of set goals.
The previous twenty-year permit expired in June, and the Regional Environmental Permit Commission (GOVC) provided a conditional favourable opinion in July for the new permit, which had received around 6,000 objections from local residents concerned about noise and pollution.
Minister Demir emphasised the importance of balancing the airport’s economic interests with the quality of life in the surrounding area. The airport will now be closed from 23:00 to 07:00, with exceptions for medical flights and delayed flights, limited to 30 occurrences per year. Until June next year, commercial flights will still be allowed from 06:30 as a transitional measure.
