The Association of Local Residents at Eelde Airport (VOLE) has successfully approached the Council of State to enforce an aviation decision for Groningen Airport Eelde. But there will be no immediate end to the nuisance of training aircraft as VOLE has demanded. The airport decision does not have to be in place until December 31, 2024, according to a ruling from the Council of State published today.
The residents’ club protested to the Council on 20 January against the lack of an airport decision for Eelde. That should have been there on November 1, 2014. VOLE hopes that the decision of infrastructure minister Mark Harbers (VVD) will end the nuisance of training aircraft. According to VOLE, this noise nuisance has risen sharply since March 2020 due to an increase in training flights that first took place at Lelystad Airport. According to VOLE, this should be arranged within fifteen months.
The Council does not consider the nuisance serious enough to already take measures. But the local residents are not wrong, according to the highest administrative court. Because quite a few official mills have to start spinning and also because airport decisions have to be discussed with parliament, Schiphol and Lelystad, Harbers will be given time until January 1, 2025 at the latest.