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🇧🇪 Belgium /Culture & Society

Brussels fair noise: Residents demand enforcement of sound limits

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Residents near Brussels' Zuidfoor fair are demanding stricter enforcement of noise regulations, comparing the ongoing disturbance to five weeks of continuous parties.
  • They argue that current measures, including decibel limits and noise monitoring on attractions, are insufficient to protect their sleep.
  • City officials acknowledge the need to find a balance between fair operations and residents' concerns, exploring potential relocation options for the future.

Residents living near Brussels' Zuidfoor fair are renewing their calls for stricter adherence to noise regulations, expressing frustration over the persistent sound pollution. A week into the annual fair's run, locals feel the current measures are inadequate, likening the situation to having neighbors host a loud party for five consecutive weeks.

The City of Brussels has implemented measures in recent years, setting daytime noise limits at 90 decibels and reducing them to 75 after 10 p.m. Additionally, 31 major attractions are equipped with decibel meters to monitor music levels. However, many residents report that these safeguards are not enough, citing noise measurements from previous years that regularly exceeded regional standards.

For us, it's as if our neighbors are celebrating a big party for 5 weeks every year.

— Jitse Van den BergA local resident describes the impact of the Zuidfoor fair's noise on his quality of life.

Jitse Van den Berg, a resident for two decades, emphasized that the issue is not the fair's existence but its operation without proper enforcement of noise limits late into the night. He noted that even with closed windows, the noise from the two largest attractions penetrates their homes, disrupting their sleep.

We are not asking for any norm that does not already exist today. We are asking that it also be observed at night.

— Jitse Van den BergA resident clarifies that they seek enforcement of existing noise regulations, not new ones.

Residents are requesting that existing nighttime noise regulations be enforced, a responsibility they believe also falls on the City of Brussels, which assigns locations and sets operating hours. The situation is complicated by a past decision where the mayor granted an exception to noise rules, a move later deemed outside his authority by the Council of State, leaving a questionable legal basis for current exceptions.

Alderman for Economy Didier Wauters acknowledged the ongoing challenge of balancing the fair organizers' efforts with residents' demands. He stated that the city is committed to finding a compromise and plans to restart discussions with residents once legal proceedings are concluded. Wauters is also exploring the possibility of relocating parts of the fair further north from 2027, potentially moving some attractions away from residential areas as Metro 3 construction progresses.

The fair organizers feel they are already making many efforts, the neighborhood feels it is not enough. It is our job to find a balance.

— Didier WautersThe Alderman for Economy acknowledges the conflicting perspectives and the city's role in mediating.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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