© BELGIUM
Flemish Minister of the Environment Zuhal Demir (N-VA) wants to be able to take away the licensing authority from local authorities that continue to allow construction projects in water-sensitive areas. She said this in the Flemish Parliament in response to a broadcast of the VRT program Pano. This intervention will require a change in the decree.
The Pano report shows that some local authorities handle the water test irresponsibly and continue to issue environmental permits in flood areas. The report zoomed in, among other things, on Kruisem, where alderman and MP Robrecht Bothuyne (CD&V) allegedly contacted the Secretary General of the Environment Department to intervene in a construction file and have an appeal from the Flemish government withdrawn.
Demir was questioned about the broadcast on Wednesday by Bruno Tobback (Vooruit), Marius Meremans (N-VA), Mieke Schauvliege (Vooruit) and Steven Coenegrachts (Open VLD). The minister was excused and had her answer read out by colleague Matthias Diependaele.
No plan compensation
“We hold the local autonomy of governments close to our hearts, but if a choice for local autonomy would amount to a choice against the public interest, then it must be possible to intervene,” Diependaele said. “Minister Demir is therefore indeed of the opinion that local authorities that continue to structurally fail to fulfill their responsibility and continue to issue permits in water-sensitive areas should be allowed to lose their licensing authority. This is based on the example of sewerage investments, in which Flanders can intervene.”
In the event of a refusal, according to Demir, no plan compensation is due. “There is no absolute right to build, and if the application does not qualify for a permit, there is no automatic financial compensation.”