An action group challenged the Tomorrowland campsite permit recently.
Just days before tens of thousands of festival-goers arrive at Boom, Belgium, the Dreamville campsite associated with the iconic Tomorrowland music festival is battling a last-minute obstacle. The action group Leefmilieu Rupelstreek has filed an appeal against the permit of the place, accusing potential environmental damage and legal breaches.
The appeal centres around alleged failures by the festival organisers to secure the necessary permits for specific actions undertaken during the campsite’s construction. These actions include altering vegetation and paving sections of the designated area, both of which are restricted within the nature reserve where Dreamville is located. Additionally, the group claims unauthorised drainage activities have negatively impacted the habitat of protected salamander and natterjack toad species.
Leen Schamp, a representative of Leefmilieu Rupelstreek, emphasises the group’s commitment to upholding environmental regulations. “These practices simply aren’t allowed in a nature reserve“, Schamp states. “We believe the organisers neglected to obtain crucial permits and conducted activities during the construction phase that are, in fact, illegal“.
Authorities Reply
The appeal has drawn criticism from Minister Zuhal Demir, who oversees the permitting process. In a statement, Demir suggests the timing of the appeal may be strategically motivated to disrupt the festival. “The applicants of this appeal waited until the last day with a clear view to the collapse of the festival“, he said. “While the appeal itself cannot be commented on until reviewed, the last-minute filing raises concerns about the intent behind it“.
Schamp defends their take, explaining “Our group consists of volunteers with other commitments, so processing the documents takes time“, hence why the appeal was filed just days before Tomorrowland.
And speaking of Tomorrowland, organisers expressed surprise at the appeal, noting its unprecedented nature and close proximity to the festival’s commencement. “We’ve received permits for Dreamville in past years without such challenges. (…) We remain confident in the ongoing legal process and believe a positive resolution is achievable“.
This is an ongoing story and we’ll keep a close eye on how everything unfolds. If given legal validation, the preparations at the campsite will have to be stopped and the campsite might not be used to its full potential. Stay tuned to our page for more news.
[H/T] GVA