Anderlecht outdoor swimming plans move forward

An appeal aimed at stopping the development of an outdoor swimming pond in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht has been rejected, allowing the project to tentatively move forward. Opponents of the swimming pond filed an appeal against its environ

By: xpats.com

Aug 08 2024
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Anderlecht outdoor swimming pl

An appeal aimed at stopping the development of an outdoor swimming pond in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht has been rejected, allowing the project to tentatively move forward.

Opponents of the swimming pond filed an appeal against its environmental permit, citing concerns about biodiversity and the tranquillity of the park in which the pond is planned.

Led by local residents, the opposition argues that an outdoor swimming space – exceedingly rare in Brussels – will attract more vehicular traffic and therefore congestion to Neerpede park and the surrounding neighbourhood, along with potential environmental damage and littering from an increase in visitors to the park in search of a swim.

Outdoor swimming spots have all but vanished in Brussels since the 1970s, leaving residents no choice but to travel to Flanders or Wallonia for a swim under open skies. One exception is Flow by the canalside in Anderlecht, a temporary outdoor swimming pool that sprung out of a citizens’ campaign to bring open-air swimming back to the Belgian capital.

In 2021, the region and Beliris announced plans to meet the demand for outdoor swimming by converting an existing pond in the Neerpede into a natural pool by 2024, but local residents' association Sauvegardons Neerpede immediately opposed the idea and filed an appeal on environmental grounds.

The Brussels government's environmental committee has rejected the appeal against the plans, but an appeal for annulment of the planning permission is still being examined by the Council of State.

Brussels Environment was delighted with this initial rejection of the appeal, saying it hopes to launch development work in 2025, with a view to opening the site to the public in summer 2026.

“But this timetable still depends on the appeal lodged against the plans,” spokesperson Judith Verbist said.

Sauvegardons Neerpede plans to continue its campaign against the swimming pond, telling Bruzz that “the appeal to annul the planning permission has not yet been decided – we've lost a battle, but not the war”.