Final Trees Felled in Antwerp Logging Dispute

The last remaining trees in a controversial logging operation on the border of the Antwerp districts of Deurne and Borgerhout were felled early Monday morning, completing a tree removal that has divided the neighborhood for over a year. The operation at the Gitschotellei and Drakenhoflaan, which saw 11 trees cut down within a few hours, was carried out under a heavy police presence that drew sharp criticism from residents and opposition parties.

The tree removal is part of the broader redevelopment of the Boekenberglei, Gitschotellei, and Drakenhoflaan, which includes new sewer systems, tram tracks, and road reconstruction. According to VRT NWS, the works were resumed after a year and completed within hours, with mobile unit vans, drones, and closed-off streets marking the scene.

A Year of Controversy

The felling marks the culmination of a dispute that erupted in August 2025, when the city began cutting more than 50 trees in the area for a planned tram turning loop (keerlus). That operation sparked massive protests and multiple arrests, including a PVDA council member, and led to a political crisis that saw Groen withdraw from the Deurne district coalition. The city eventually halted the cutting after crisis talks, with Mobility Alderman Koen Kennis (N-VA) admitting communication failures.

The 11 trees felled Monday were spared last year after the heavy neighborhood protest. But the city resumed the works this August, arguing that the sewer infrastructure is urgently in need of replacement and that the planting season (November-March) requires starting now to transplant trees successfully.

Residents and Opposition React

Lode Daelemans of the action committee Het Juiste Spoor expressed dismay at the police operation. “When we see that this happens almost day for day a year later in the same way - with much show of force, police presence and intimidation by the city government - we find this sad,” he told VRT NWS. “They had made beautiful promises that it would not happen again.”

Groen city council member Meyrem Almaci was equally critical. “It’s better secured here than a high-risk match of Antwerp [football club],” she said. “That says something about how this neighborhood is viewed.” Almaci noted that the city government of N-VA and Vooruit had promised an evaluation of last year’s events and that the traumatic experience would not repeat itself. “And look, they’ve managed to add even more on top. How cynical is that?”

PVDA faction leader in Deurne, Ianthe Ghaye, called it “an exact copy of a year ago. Again a large police presence, again without much input for the neighborhood.” She also questioned the city’s justification for the tree removal, telling HLN that “if you look at the plans, there is no sewer at all under most of those trees.”

Local business owner Ann Rosiers, whose laundry shop was cut off by the closures, was also frustrated. “I am disgusted,” she told HLN. “Nobody informed us that trees would be cut today. Just like last year, the communication from the city is substandard.”

City Defends the Operation

Alderman Koen Kennis defended the works, saying the neighborhood was informed well in advance. “At the end of March, when the contractor was appointed, we already communicated that the works would start in August,” he said. “We informed the action committees involved and informed the neighborhood via an information letter about the start of the works.” More details are available on the city’s project page.

Kennis emphasized the environmental benefits of the project. “By starting now, the neighborhood will have trees in the street again by spring 2027, with more than 100 planted or transplanted,” he said. The city plans to transplant about 20 mature plane trees from the Boekenberglei to the Gitschotellei and Drakenhoflaan during the planting season, plus plant over 100 new trees.

Legal Procedure Still Ongoing

A key point of contention is that a legal procedure against the permit is still ongoing at the Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen (Council for Permit Disputes). The disputed tram turning loop is not part of this first phase of works, but opponents argue the city is creating a fait accompli by felling trees before the legal process concludes.

The situation remained calm this time, unlike last year’s violent confrontations. The first phase of works runs from August 2026 to April 2027, and the city aims to have tram line 9 running again by end of 2027. Tram 9 has been out of service on this route since November 2025, with replacement buses running between Berchem-Station and Silsburg.

What’s Next

As the legal challenge continues and the redevelopment proceeds, the neighborhood faces a period of significant disruption. The city’s promise of over 100 new and transplanted trees by spring 2027 offers some consolation, but for many residents, the loss of mature trees that provided shade and character to their streets remains deeply felt. The outcome of the legal procedure against the permit will determine whether the broader tram turning loop project proceeds as planned - but the trees that fell Monday will not return.