4,382 objections and 28,850 signatures against island for Knokke

On Thursday, Thibault Vandenberghe (pictured right) of the non-profit organisation Stop the Island handed over 4,382 written objections to director-general Roland Moreau (left) of the federal government’s Environment Department. In doing so, the interest group sides against the possibility of a test island 1.3 kilometres into the sea off Knokke. One of its arguments is that a “canal with a long string of fully loaded cargo ships” does not belong close to the beach of a seaside resort. The option for this test island is included in the draft Marine Spatial Plan (MRP) 2020-2026 of federal secretary of state for the North Sea Philippe De Backer (Open VLD). Until today, September 28, the public enquiry for this ran.