220m Wind Turbine Approved Near Brussels Sparks Appeal
Flemish Environment Minister Jo Brouns (CD&V) has granted a conditional permit for a 220-metre wind turbine on the Allnex chemical site in Drogenbos, a Flemish municipality bordering the Brussels-Capital Region — a decision that has triggered a joint appeal from two local councils and drawn more than 200 resident objections. Announced on 9 October 2026 and confirmed in the Dutch-language press by VRT NWS, the project would be the first installation of its kind on Brussels’ immediate skyline.
A Small Municipality, a Very Tall Turbine
The turbine is being developed by Luminus, the Belgian energy company owned by EDF, on land controlled by the chemicals firm Allnex near the canal and railway. According to Luminus’ official project page, the single turbine would stand up to 220 metres tall from base to blade tip, with a rotor diameter of up to 150 metres and a capacity of 4 to 6 MW. The company says it will generate about 12,000 MWh of green electricity a year — enough to power roughly 3,300 households — and avoid some 1,750 tonnes of CO2 annually.
Drogenbos is a small Dutch-speaking “facility municipality” in the Vlaamse Rand, the Flemish belt around Brussels. Although the turbine sits technically in Flanders, its visual and demographic ties run to the capital, a framing reflected in French-language coverage that described it as being installed “in Brussels”. By that account, the mast would be roughly the height of the Tour Montparnasse in Paris.
Two Councils, One Appeal
Both Drogenbos and its neighbour Sint-Pieters-Leeuw (Leeuw-Saint-Pierre) had issued negative advice after more than 200 objections from residents. On 13 October, the two municipalities filed a joint appeal against the permit, VRT NWS reported.
Residents’ concerns centre on noise pollution layered on top of existing nuisance from the Brussels Ring road and the surrounding industrial zone, alongside shadow flicker, visual impact, potential property-value depreciation, safety and effects on birds and bats.
Jeroen Tiebout (N-VA), Sint-Pieters-Leeuw’s alderman for environment, questioned the consistency of the decision. “Two weeks ago the minister refused a wind turbine along a motorway in Affligem, but now he approves one in a densely populated area,” he said. He argued the canal area has already done its part, noting seven existing turbines along the waterway. “Perhaps it is time that other regions also contribute. We have done our share.”
Alexis Calmeyn (LB – Drogenbos+), mayor of Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, said the permit conflicts with the Flemish government’s own principles, “including on the distance to homes,” and warned of a “nefarious impact” on residents’ living environment. He also pointed to unease over falling property values, and argued the main beneficiaries are the operator Luminus and Allnex. The councils want the permit reviewed and alternative sites examined — suggesting a location further along the Brussels Ring, where fewer homes stand — along with other renewable options such as additional solar panels on the Allnex site.
Conditions Attached
The permit does not amount to a free pass. According to VRT NWS, rail infrastructure manager Infrabel must grant separate approval because the turbine will stand close to tracks. An expert must verify noise standards once the turbine is operating, and the machine must be fitted with a shadow-flicker module capable of temporarily halting rotation. In an unusual provision, the turbine must also shut down during periods when bats are most active; research found seven species in the area, including the endangered pond bat.
Acknowledging the objections, the Flemish government concluded that the climate benefits did not outweigh the nuisance, but it judged the visual impact acceptable because the area is already dominated by a cooling tower, rail and high-voltage lines and large industrial buildings. Officials also cited the turbine’s contribution to Flanders’ climate and energy targets.
Analysis: A Local Flashpoint in a National Debate
The Drogenbos case distils a tension running through Belgium’s renewable-energy transition: onshore wind is essential to climate targets, yet the most contested sites are often those closest to the people who must live beside it. Flanders has actively promoted onshore wind while repeatedly colliding with local resistance, and the region has wavered on how strictly to regulate turbine siting. According to HBVL, distance rules floated by Brouns were soon scrapped by Energy Minister Melissa Depraetere (Vooruit), exposing disagreement within the Flemish government itself.
The opponents’ “we have done our share” argument speaks to a broader question of fair burden-sharing across regions — one that wind-energy developers ignore at their peril. Notably, Luminus has tried to soften local opposition by offering residents a stake through its Lumiwind cooperative, with shares from €25 and dividends of up to 4%. Whether that gesture can outlast a legal challenge remains to be seen.
What’s Next
The appeal now heads to the Raad voor Vergunningsbetwistingen (Council for Permit Disputes), Flanders’ administrative court for planning matters. The timing and likely outcome of that process have not been reported, and Infrabel’s separate approval is still pending. Until both are resolved, the turbine — and the question of how much of the energy transition a single Brussels-adjacent municipality should shoulder — hangs in the balance.