Pebble quarry removed from 'Dune Belt'.
The story of the Dune Belt project started with the approval of the subsidy application for this at the municipal council of March 28, 2011. The problem was that the project developers had integrally included the motocross terrain the Kiezelgraven in their plans, even though the EIA* made it clear that the famous circuit was completely suitable for this purpose. is worthless. Without considering the objections of motocross enthusiasts, the entire municipal council, with the exception of the VB, approved that application.
On Tuesday, May 15, 2012, the project developer distributed a preliminary structural vision for this large forest and nature complex. Under the leadership of Alderman Dirk Verlaak (Voluit), in contrast to the council meeting a year earlier, the municipality now responded alertly. On June 1, 2012, the head of sports department replied that it is the wish of the municipal council that a paragraph regarding 'ground-based, motorized sports' will be included.
Councilor Leo Pieters (VB) turned out to be even more sane. When a special inter-municipal environmental council took place on this structural vision in Opglabbeek on October 24, 2012, Pieters raised the point that it was incorrect that the Kiezel Quarry was included in the project area because “this concerns a different policy process”. In the report, which was only distributed on December 24, 2012, we read in the answer that “there is uncertainty as to whether or not the motocross terrain should be included in the project perimeter. This needs to be short-circuited again.” Pieters then submitted a question for the municipal council meeting of October 29, 2012. In his usual haughty style, Mayor Jan Creemers (CD&V) replied that the Kiezel Quarry had been removed from the Duinenbanden project.
This means that barely 5 days after Pieters' (VB) interpellation at an inter-municipal environmental council, the Kiezelgraaf was freed from the specter of the Dune Belt. For less, one would wonder why all this could not be done immediately when the same councilor already proposed this at the meeting of March 28, 2011? Or why does the municipal council itself come up with an extra paragraph while the true solution can even emerge from behind a cordon in just a few days? Not to mention what ultimately came of that 'amendment' or why, say, Flemish Minister Joke Schauvliege (CD&V) made a big splash with this project on June 10, 2011 without taking into account her promises regarding motocross? Whatever the case, after Mc Maasland was proven right by the judge earlier in September, this is another step in the right direction.
*Environmental impact report
Text: Kevin Moonen – Source: RedDeMotorcross.be
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