Knokke, known for being the most fashionable city in the country, is making efforts to maintain its aesthetics two years after the passing of Leopold Lippens. New rules have been implemented by the local authorities, including a ban on displaying “V”-shaped real estate signs on ground floors of properties for sale or rent. Only flat panels are permitted. Additionally, apartment and house owners who want to install photovoltaic panels must first obtain the municipality’s permission, as local authorities want all the panels to be identical. Criticism of these measures, with some even labeling it as communism, has surfaced, but Mayor Piet De Groote emphasizes that there is still a lot of freedom in Knokke, as long as certain values are respected.
Two years after the death of Leopold Lippens, Knokke intends to remain the most “chic” city in the country. And for this, the local authorities have taken new decisions aimed at taking care of the aesthetics of the coastal city.
After the ban on walking bare-chested in the streets of Knokke, after the ban on listening to music on the beaches, after the numerous measures concerning the facades of dwellings (etc.), two new rules have recently entered in force.
The first targets… real estate billboards. Indeed, it is now forbidden to display a real estate sign in the shape of a “V” on the ground floor of dwellings that are for sale or for rent. Only “flat” panels are now allowed.
And that’s not all. The Belang van Limburg has indeed learned that the owners of apartments or houses who want to install photovoltaic panels must do so with the agreement of the municipality since the local authorities want all the panels to be identical.
Critics following these measures are well underway. Some speak of “communism”. “On the contrary, there is a lot of freedom here… but there are just a few values to respect”, retorts Piet De Groote, the mayor of Knokke in the columns of Belang van Limburg.
In conclusion, the city of Knokke is determined to maintain its reputation as the most chic city in Belgium, and the local authorities are taking strict measures to ensure the aesthetics of the city are up to par. From banning bare-chested walks to restricting the use of certain real estate signs and requiring identical photovoltaic panels, the city is making changes to preserve its image. While critics may have their reservations, Mayor Piet De Groote maintains that these measures are necessary to maintain the values and freedoms of the city. Time will tell if these decisions prove to be successful in preserving Knokke’s refined character.