Flemish citizens now wait an average of 97.8 days for an environmental permit, a key approval from municipalities needed for construction or renovation works.
This marks an increase of fourteen days since 2019, as reported by Flemish Parliament member Andy Pieters (N-VA) and published in Het Nieuwsblad and Gazet van Antwerpen.
Limburg has the longest waiting times, averaging 109 days, up by 22 days compared to five years ago. Other Flemish provinces maintain shorter waiting periods, staying below the hundred-day mark.
Local authorities are given sixty days to make a decision unless a public inquiry is required, which extends the term to 105 days, identifiable by distinctive yellow posters on the site. “Compared to other European countries, these terms are already quite short,” said Katrien Gordts from the Association of Flemish Cities and Municipalities (VVSG) to Het Nieuwsblad.
Analyses based on data from the Omgevingsloket show considerable variation between municipalities. Zoersel (42.4 days) and Wijnegem (50 days) are swift, finalising their decisions in under two months, while Genk (136.1 days), Tongeren (138.7 days), and Edegem (142.9 days) take the longest.
The extended processing times are believed to be due to increasingly complex legislation.
