Belgian province reopens McDonald's permit after court voids approval

In July 2026 a permit application was filed for a McDonald's restaurant with a drive‑in and an ultra‑fast charging station on the Provinciebaan in Schoonbroek, Belgium. The regional environmental service is still verifying that the dossier is complete; no public investigation or substantive assessment has begun, and the municipal council has not taken a position pending the outcome.

Earlier, the provincial council of Antwerp had granted a permit for a McDonald's on the Wechelsebaan in Lille, but the Council for Permit Disputes annulled that decision in 2025, citing an inadequate green buffer, insufficient justification of spatial fit, and unresolved mobility and noise impacts. The province must now reassess the file, taking into account the objections of hundreds of local residents.