Bruges: “Do not stop work on allotment, but do research into flooding”
He does want a firm approach from the West Flemish intermunicipal company and an investigation into why local residents suffer from rising groundwater and flooded gardens. Franky Demon, alderman for spatial planning: “The WVI has clearly installed drainage systems up to the gardens. This must all be checked. Is everything connected properly or are there any that are not connected? Action must be taken. Allow us to state that this must be done in the week after the Christmas holidays. I have contacted the WVI and informed them that I do not find the images I have seen acceptable.”
Ships Demon emphasizes that it is a shared responsibility. From the city, from the WVI, but also from the residents. New Flemish water test maps will be available in January. The city of Bruges wants to base a possible building permit mainly on this. Stopping the project as proposed yesterday doesn’t seem like a good idea to him. “I have not yet seen anything from the opposition. Wherever there are problems, stopping everything is the easiest. Everyone has their role. My role is to organize new consultations, interpret new water test maps and then see what is still possible and make the right decisions.”
Additional measures to keep the water level safe may be necessary. The water specialists of the Oostkustpolder will also have to consider this area again, together with the WVI.