“The deputation has indeed unanimously refused the environmental permit,” deputy and provincial councilor Ann Schevenels told Tervuren+. The Flemish liberal from Keerbergen thereby confirms reports that all of Vlaams-Brabant’s four ‘deputies’, nominated by their respective political parties, decided against McDonald’s.
Close to four schools and thousands of pupils, the scenic Africa Museum and Tervuren park, the drive-thru would have occupied a prime location. And corporates may still deem the top spot worth battling for, however unlikely a legal win now appears. This means the US fastfood giant paying top lawyers to fight Vlaams-Brabant at the Council for Permit Disputes. “In that case they need to demonstrate for each and all of the objections cited that they are unfounded,” says Pol Maclaine Pont from Actiecomité Niet in Tervuren.
October elections may very well see a new governing coalition occupying town hall, with increased coziness between Flemish liberals Democraten Tervuren and nationalists NV-A pushing out Groen+. And then McDonald’s could simply start all over again and apply for a new permit from Tervuren town hall. “Whether they do this will simply depend on their corporate targets and how desperate they are to open,” Maclaine tells Tervuren+.
A drive-thru would be a nightmare for people traveling between Leuven and Brussels on the already insanely busy N3.
She further points to legal errors in the permit approval and that “the restaurant would cause so many problems for the local population”. “It would also be a nightmare for people traveling between Leuven and Brussels on the already insanely busy N3,” Maclaine adds.
In all events, the US firm will not be able to base the essential mobility study on traffic readings taken during Covid lockdowns. Provincial grandees were taken aback by Tervuren alderpeople rubber-stamping McDonald’s shaky mobility study — conducted amidst the ultra low traffic of Covid-19 lock-downs. That distorted the picture for road safety, parking and traffic flow on the supercharged Leuvensesteenweg. And bumper-to-bumper N3 traffic would even sway the kew town hall coalition.
“We are relieved that the province has followed Groen+’s position. Hopefully, this closes the chapter,” environment and mobility alderman Bram Peters told Tervuren+. Together with tourism alderwoman Sofie Lombaert, also from Groen+, Peters broke town hall coalition ranks last August to vote against mayor Marc Charlier (NV-A) and the other four alderpersons.
Earlier this month, the province’s highest environmental official had instructed the deputies to reject the application for urban planning sent by multinational McDonald’s.
The environmental official then stated that the mayor and aldermen of Tervuren had imposed conditions, in their approval of the drive-thru McDonald’s, that exceeded their authority. And there was even talk of violation of article 30 of the Flemish environmental permit decree.
“The mobility assessment isn’t convincing, particularly regarding the impact on traffic flow and safety. Despite additional [Ed. business] activity, the number of parking spaces is decreased. Part of the bicycle parking facilities is unusable. The application does not comply with the criteria of good spatial planning,” said the official (POA).
Tervuren, near the beautiful park and Africa Museum, was chosen as a prime location in the multinational’s post-Covid expansion plans with 50 new fast-food temples in Belgium. But since 2020, Tervuren’s Great Hamburger War has been fought out on Facebook. At times, the fray descended into vicious language targeting those campaigning against McDonald’s, especially if from the town’s sizeable 43% population of non-Belgian origin. Groups supporting McDonald’s point to employment opportunities offered by the fast-food giant. And they doubt the negative assessments made by Vlaams-Brabant’s environmental officers, notably concerning road safety and increased traffic.
50 new fast-food temples in Belgium
Objectors to McDonald’s near the park and four of the town’s schools have been dismissed by fast-food supporters as lefties, Greens and the privileged, centered around the British School of Brussels (BSB). Homing in on allegations that McDonald’s increases car pollution and traffic jams is ‘rich’, said the pro-McDonald’s camp, especially when coming from wealthy non-Belgian parents dropping off kids in giant SUVs at the €42,000 per year school.
Maybe people eat something first and it would be less busy on the main road?
McDonald’s might actually help smooth traffic on the congested Leuvensesteenweg (N3), said one fan of US-style fast-food restaurants. “Maybe people eat something first and it would be less busy on the main road,” said another, also on Facebook. Echoing that sentiment, current Tervuren mayor Marc Charlier maintained that not granting McDonald’s a building permit would be ‘condescending’, notably dictating what food is healthy.
In the first 13-page report, Vlaams-Brabant’s environmental office also gave bad marks to Tervuren for legal mistakes, infringing on article 30 of Flanders’ environmental permit decree. The town should legally have organized a second inquiry after changing McDonald’s original request for a building permit.
The final decision was taken by just four senior provincial decision-makers or ‘deputies’, all nominated by their political parties. Former Tervuren mayor Jan Spooren presided the meeting on 29 March as Vlaams-Brabant’s governor. But Spooren does not vote at such meetings. In 2020, when still mayor, he rejected McDonald’s first application, just before being promoted out to the post of governor. Spooren then handed over Tervuren’s mayorship to party colleague Marc Charlier.
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