Deurne-Zuid Residents Fear New Tree Cutting as Works Resume

Residents of Deurne-Zuid in Antwerp gathered at Kastanjeplein on Sunday evening to protest the start of redevelopment works that will see 11 trees cut down, marking an emotional return to the scene of last year’s controversial tree felling that triggered a political crisis. The action committee ‘Het Juiste Spoor’ says residents are going to sleep “with a fearful heart,” worried about being woken by chainsaws and about the environmental impact of losing more green space.

The works along the Boekenberglei, Gitschotellei, and Drakenhoflaan streets are scheduled to begin Monday, August 17, as part of a broader redevelopment project that includes sewage renewal, tram track replacement, and road reconstruction. The cutting of the 11 remaining trees comes exactly one year after approximately 50 trees were felled in the same neighborhood under massive police presence, sparking widespread protests, arrests, and a political fallout that saw Groen leave the Deurne district coalition. The works announcement confirmed the start date and scope of the first phase.

A Year of Déjà Vu

“We have a déjà vu here, with what happened a year ago,” said Lode Daelemans of the action committee ‘Het Juiste Spoor’ during Sunday’s protest. “In an interim ruling of the Council, an illegality was found. The environmental values regarding the discharge of polluted water are not being met. That is a sign that the city would do better to wait for the final decision.”

The Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen (Council for Permit Disputes) rejected an emergency procedure that residents filed to suspend the tree cutting. However, the nullification procedure against the permit is still ongoing, with a final ruling expected no earlier than autumn 2026. Daelemans expressed frustration that the city has not shown more caution after last year’s events. “We had hoped after all the commotion that the city would now show a bit more caution,” he said. “But they’re simply continuing.”

The action committee fears being presented with a fait accompli. “We are afraid we will again be presented with a fait accompli,” Daelemans warned. “If the permit were to be annulled, a large part of the project would already be irreversibly realized.”

City Defends Timing

The city of Antwerp maintains that the tree cutting cannot wait for the Council’s ruling. “The cutting of the trees cannot wait until the Council has ruled because in that case we would miss the planting season to plant new trees and relocate other trees,” said the office of Alderman Koen Kennis (N-VA). “That doesn’t mean trees will be cut immediately on Monday; that planning is up to the contractor. The cutting of the trees is necessary because the sewage system needs to be laid there and has nothing to do with the turnaround loop.” The city previously temporarily halted the cutting after crisis talks in August 2025.

The action committee disputes this claim. “A large part of the trees is exactly on the route for the turnaround loop,” Daelemans said. “They are clearly in the way. Also the way they are going to redevelop the street is with an eye on that turnaround loop. If it weren’t coming, they could have chosen for more green, parking, and safe intersections that we would love to have.”

The controversial tram turnaround loop (keerlus) at Eksterlaar was taken out of service after being declared ‘unsafe’ by De Lijn. The city plans to build a new loop requiring additional tram tracks, which would allow tram line 9 to be permanently shortened. Residents argue the loop is unnecessary because Antwerp is introducing modern two-directional trams that do not require a turnaround loop.

Echoes of August 2025

The current protests evoke painful memories of August 2025, when hundreds of residents tried to stop the tree cutting under massive police presence. Five activists were arrested, including PVDA council member Manal Toumi. The events triggered a political crisis that saw Groen leave the Deurne district coalition with N-VA and Vooruit, with the coalition described as existing “only on paper.”

“Everyone here is on their guard,” Daelemans said. “Nobody has forgotten last year’s actions.” The trauma of the 2025 tree cutting remains raw for many residents. In December 2025, Daelemans told VRT NWS that the experience was “still a trauma 4 months later,” recalling how “that first tree went down with an enormous thud.” He described weeks of waking up from stress after the felling.

Measurable Environmental Impact

The environmental consequences of last year’s tree cutting have been well-documented. Measurements by residents in June 2026 showed temperatures up to 7-8.3 degrees Celsius warmer in areas where trees had been cut, compared to areas with trees. Residents report heat-related health issues, with one resident noting that “the doctor says the temperature increase is clearly related to respiratory and cardiovascular problems.”

Residents have been forced to adapt to the new conditions. “I hung cloths in front of the windows that face the sun the longest,” said resident Piet Wollaert. Ann Rosiers noted that “normally we ate our sandwiches outside on the bench at noon, but it’s too hot.”

The loss of trees has also affected the social fabric of the neighborhood. “We close ourselves off from the outside world,” said resident Eric Van Breedam. “Before, you saw people coming outside more and chatting, and now you see everyone staying inside.” Environmental organizations have also voiced solidarity with the residents, with Bomen voor onze kinderen expressing support for the affected community.

Legal and Financial Pressure

The legal battle continues alongside the protests. More than 750 residents formally notified the city of Antwerp and threatened a damage claim of 25,000 euros per cut tree if no replanting follows. The city has pledged to transplant 14 plane trees from the Boekenberglei to the Gitschotellei and Drakenhoflaan, where 39 new trees will be planted. In the Boekenberglei, 13 plane trees will be moved and 45 new trees planted.

Expert analysis published in Knack magazine identified three lessons from the 2025 tree cutting: the importance of urban trees, the mobilizing power of trees, and the need for genuine citizen participation. Matthias Vangenechten, a doctoral researcher in environmental law at the University of Antwerp, argued that “when trees are cut, a piece of shared living world disappears. The protests against this are democracy in full action.”

What’s Next

The first phase of works runs until April 2027 and includes sewage renewal, tram track replacement, and road reconstruction. The controversial turnaround loop is not part of this first phase. Since November 2025, tram line 9 has not run between Berchem Station and Silsburg, with replacement buses being used. The city aims to have the tram running again by the end of 2027.

The city emphasizes that the final result will bring significant improvements, including 148 extra trees, 2,000 square meters of greening, new bike paths, and safer streets, as announced in March 2026. However, for the residents of Deurne-Zuid, the immediate concern is more pressing: whether they will be woken in the middle of the night by the sound of chainsaws.

“We are going to sleep with a fearful heart and we hope we won’t be woken in the middle of the night or early morning by the sound of chainsaws,” Daelemans said. “It’s also about an expensive investment for a turnaround loop to permanently shorten a tram line. That is also not an added value for public transport.”

As the Council for Permit Disputes prepares its final ruling, the coming months will determine whether the residents’ fears are justified or whether the city’s promised green future materializes. For now, the community of Deurne-Zuid remains on high alert, watching every development with the memory of last year’s trauma still fresh.