Green light for Oosterweel tunnel construction site in Zeebrugge

The Flemish government on Friday granted the qualification “imperative reason of major public interest” to the construction of “a quay wall of about 915 metres, accompanied by the widening and deepening of the Baudouin canal, and the construction of a temporary construction dock”. This qualification is invoked under the Habitats Directive. This requires an ADC test to be carried out for projects in Habitats Directive areas. This involves checking whether alternative (A) solutions are possible, whether there are imperative (D) reasons of major public interest, and what compensatory (C) measures are needed.