The future wind farm off the coast of Dunkirk continues to annoy in Belgium. While the public inquiry recently issued a favorable opinion to the construction of this park of 46 wind turbines at sea east of Dunkirk, the project is the subject of numerous outcry among our Belgian neighbors who contest, not the project, but the location of the park. The port of Ostend has taken the matter to court, and the mayors of coastal communities are mobilizing.
A project that will block the horizon for the mayors of the coast
The wind farm project provides for the construction in 2026 of 46 wind turbines 250 to 300 meters high 10km from the coast east of Dunkirk, over an area of 50 km2. It is supported by the company Éoliennes en mer de Dunkerque and RTE, who maintain that this park will be able to produce the equivalent of the annual electricity consumption of a million peopleor a third of the population of the North. During the public inquiry, 2,882 contributions were made, for 94% unfavorable opinions. 6% came from the Belgian public.
The wind farm would be located approximately 11 kilometers from the Belgian coast, and from the coastal communities of La Panne, Nieuwpoort, and Koksijde. Coastal mayors are worried to see wind turbines blocking the horizon of their tourist communities. “The park should be located further away”supports Kris Vandecasteele, the new mayor of Nieuwpoort. A certain number contributions in Flemish report another wind farm project in Belgium, built much further out to sea than that of Dunkirk. The Kingdom of Belgium recalls as well as France “decided unilaterally on the location of the wind farm, without consulting Belgium”.
The port of Ostend takes legal action
For its part, the port of Ostend, opposed to the project since 2018, decided a few weeks ago to take legal action in Belgiumagain due to the location of the project. Indeed, the park would straddle the Dyck Road, a historic sea route linking the port to the south of England. A strategic road for the port, which aims to reopen ferry routes to Dover and Ramsgateinterrupted since 2013. “It would be like cutting the highway that connects France to Belgium,” supports Danny Drooghenbroodt, member of the Restart Ferry Ostend association.
“Diplomatic consultations with France are not leading to the expected result”, said for his part the president of the port Dirk Declerck. Through this legal action, by seizing the court of West Flanders, the port is demanding compensation from the builders and as well as a preventive measure temporarily prohibiting construction work. “Safeguarding the Dyck road is of great importance for the economic vitality of the port of Ostend”recalls Dirk Declerck.
