Limburg, Belgian municipalities team up to fight airport expansion plans

Four Limburg- and eight Belgian municipalities teamed up to fight the expansion plans of Bierset airport near Liege. The airport applied for a permit to increase its flight movements from the current 25,000 to 65,000 by 2040. It also wants to extend a runway, 1Limburg reports.

The plans sparked unrest in the Belgian and Dutch municipalities located under Bierset's arrival and departure routes. They worry for their residents' night's sleep. Municipalities in the Limburg hills also fear that increasing noise from Bierset flights will keep tourists away.

The Belgian municipality of Riemst hired a lawyer on behalf of the 12 municipalities. They hope to "limit the border-crossing noise nuisance as much as possible." The municipalities also want to ban older, heavy freight aircraft. 

Riemst mayor Mark Vos said he recognizes the importance of the airport and some 9,000 jobs that depend on it. "We are absolutely not against the airport. But we do want to guarantee restful sleep for our residents." According to him, the number of heavy cargo planes using Bierset has almost doubled in the past years.