A new stadium? Not in "our" back yard

Last week, in a complete surprise, Club Brugge announced they will build a new football stadium for 40000 people next to the current location, that is completely outdated, and worn out to the bone.
The current stadium has a safety capacity of around 27500 spectators. But those place are not in line with the current standards of football stadia. Most places are completely naked to the elements, rain and especially wind, can make it very unpleasant. The toilets, pubs, etc... are getting really disgusting and just a fresh layer of paint wont help a thing. The stadium has had its glory, but is craving for its pension.

The current "Jan Breydel Stadion is completely outdated

After a search and long legal battle of 12 years, three different locations and proposals got blocked by all sorts of legal actions.

This was the first proposal, the stadium crammed between two highways and a train track, in Loppem, next to Bruges, it was turned down because of rare species of bats lived on one of the current farmlands, I kid you not...

Then there was a second proposal, the Chartreuse area in Bruges, but again it got blocked because protest by a few people that took legal actions.

The third proposal was in the north of Bruges, near the Blankenbergsesteenweg, with perfect accessabillity by highways, and enough space to make a perfectly up to date stadium that fits all needs. But a few "enemies" of the current president of Club Brugge, Bart Verhaeghe, bought some grounds of that area, and blocked the build of the stadium again, by legal action.

This was in my opinion the best possible solution, but blocked by some really big guns in a personal vendetta

Finally, the way out, or not?

Now finally, last week, everyone that is a fan of Club Brugge, and a fan of football in general, could put on a smile. A new stadium will be built next to the current one, and when it is finished, the current one will be torn down. Hooray! Or not?
Three days later, the first group of protesters is already formed. Neighbours, that have been neighbours of the current stadium for 40 years already! find it a bad idea... They are worried about the view, parking, etc... Another symptom of the NIMBY syndrome, of which Belgium has a lot of patients. Not In My Back Yard, everywhere, but not in my back yard. That is how it is. And it puts Belgium into a stand still, for just about every project there is. Nothing can be done here anymore, because everyone that wants abuses the legal system to block progression of facilities, economy, etc...

Next to the current location, where the training fields are a new stadium is planned

Shame on us, Belgium!

Sincerely,

Pele23