Lelystad Airport wants to open with nitrogen rights from livestock farmers on Veluwe | Lelystad Airport

It concerns farmers in areas ‘around’ Lelystad Airport, spokesman Willemeike Koster describes: “Such as the Veluwe and the Naardermeer.” According to her, the Schiphol Group has now reached agreement with ‘a small number’ of livestock farmers.

Lelystad Airport is a so-called PAS reporter. The holiday airport was on a list of projects that are legalized through a special arrangement. If they stay below a certain amount of nitrogen emissions, they can get the necessary nature permit.

But at the beginning of this year, Minister Christianne van der Wal decided that Lelystad Airport would not receive a nature permit. According to her, the airport based the application on incorrect nitrogen calculations. The objection of ‘Lelystad’ against this decision was rejected in September.

The result is that Lelystad Airport has to find nitrogen space in a different way. For example, by buying out livestock farmers. That is what the Schiphol Group, as owner of the airport, is currently doing, confirms spokesperson Willemeike Koster.

Buying out farmers is controversial. The cabinet has promised that any nitrogen space released will first go to PAS notifiers, especially to farmers who have ended up in an illegal situation through no fault of their own. Meanwhile, government institutions and private companies are striving for the same rights to prevent projects from coming to a standstill, such as housing construction, road construction and thus the commissioning of Lelystad Airport.

The cabinet recently announced that it wants pre-emptive rights for more control.

Director Marjolein Demmers of Nature & Environment calls it a ‘very bad thing’. “The Netherlands first needs substantial nitrogen reduction for nature. That certainly means no exchange of nitrogen emissions from farmers for aviation.” Demmers says that all sectors must contribute to reducing nitrogen emissions. The action taken by the Schiphol Group is regarded by Natuur & Milieu as ‘cowboy behaviour’.

Lelystad Airport was due to open in 2018. But the opening has already been postponed four times in recent years. In Gelderland and Overijssel there has been a lot of resistance to the opening in recent years. There is particular fear for the ‘low-flying routes’ above the Veluwe, the Vechtdal and the Kop van Overijssel. This summer, the cabinet decided to postpone the opening for another two years.

EUR 200 million has been invested in extending the runway, building a terminal and constructing a car park. The intention is that a maximum of 45,000 flight movements will take place at Lelystad Airport after opening. According to a previous draft permit from the ministry, this would be a maximum of 10,000 flights based on the nature protection law.