“Disrespectful”: protest against plans for wind turbines near cemeteries

Local residents think it is unacceptable that some cemeteries are recognized by UNESCO as world heritage, and that others, according to them, are treated disrespectfully by placing windmills next to them. The city will only provide advice in October.

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“This is not possible”

Aspiravi wants to install two wind turbines near the Noorderring in Ypres. Close to the industrial zone where there are already wind turbines, and quite far from homes. But close to three British cemeteries. Not possible, says Martine Claerhout, who lives nearby in a protected farm.

“I don’t like that at all. Ypres is a historic city. The cemetery sites have now been declared UNESCO, and together with our protected farm in the landscape, no, I don’t think that is possible at all.”

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The three closest cemeteries are not recognized by UNESCO as World Heritage, but some further along are. From there you will see windmills 200 meters high.

“It will be difficult to place a windmill somewhere in Ypres without having a British cemetery in your sights somewhere,” says Philip Bolle, councilor for Spatial Planning in Ypres.

“The question is whether the location, as currently planned on the Noorderring, with a view of the industrial estate, to what extent this would cause any damage to the perception of the surrounding British cemeteries.”

Local residents also fear the harmful effects of vibrations and noise pollution.

“Certain people are very sensitive to this. But others are not,” says Martine.

“It is perfectly possible for someone to say: I live 200 meters from a turbine and it doesn’t bother me. While another person, with a different attitude, may be enormously inconvenienced by it and, for example, no longer be able to get into their bedroom. sleep but go to sleep in his basement on the other side of the house.”

Advice after public inquiry

The city will only provide advice once the public inquiry is completed on October 10. But the location probably meets the conditions that the city recently set: north of the ring road and adjacent to the industrial zone where there are already wind turbines.

“The location requested here is in line with that, so in terms of vision text, in terms of the city’s vision and application, that is something that qualifies,” says Philip Bolle, councilor for Spatial Planning in Ypres.

Ypres only gives advice, it is Flanders that decides. The city previously gave negative advice for the construction of three other wind turbines, between Brielen and Vlamertinge. But here too, it will ultimately be Flanders that makes the decision.