Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) introduces distance rules for wind turbines higher than 200 meters
The Flemish Minister of Surroundings Jo Brouns (CD&V) is introducing distance rules for large windmills for the first time, the latest news reports. « Who likes to get a windmill in his backyard that is twice as higher than the Atomium? » Says Brouns.
Minister Brouns has for the first time refused a permit for a windmill because the distance to habitation was too small. One of the four planned windmills of 266.5 meters who want to build ENGIE and Cotton Natie in the Ghent Channel Zone did not receive a permit. The windmill would come 280 meters from the habitation and that is too close, Minister Brouns said.
He seizes the Ghent example to introduce distance rules for wind turbines. « For windmills higher than 200 meters, the distance to the first occupation must be at least three times the tip height from now on, » says Minister Brouns. « With a windmill of 250 meters, the distance to the residential area must now be at least 750 meters. If that is not the case, I will not permit the project. » He says to pour the rule into a new circular letter in the coming weeks.
« Flanders too small »
« We did have rules regarding noise and drop shadow, but not for a distance, » says Minister Brouns. « In other countries, those distance rules have been around for some time. And rightly so, because the quality of life must be paramount. Flanders is too small to just place such mastodons everywhere. » According to Minister Brouns, the large wind turbines just undermined the support for wind energy.
