THE HAGUE: A Dutch court on Thursday ruled that the Zandvoort track can host the Formula One Grand Prix in September, rejecting a challenge by environmentalists who said it would harm protected toads and lizards.
Activists from Duinbehoud (Dune Conservation) had challenged a decision by local authorities to exempt the beachside circuit from conservation rules so that it could build grandstands for the GP.
But the district court in Haarlem, upholding a lower court decision, said there were "compelling reasons of overriding public interest" to grant the permits so that the race could be held for the first time since 1985.
"The court finds that (local authorities) have sufficiently substantiated that the installation of grandstands is necessary for the Dutch Grand Prix to run safely and orderly," the court said in a statement.
"The overriding reasons of public interest mainly lie in making possible a top-class sporting event of stature, with great national and international interest," it said, adding that the GP could also provide an "economic boost".
The court said these factors outweighed the harm to any cold-blooded critters.
"The disturbance of the sand lizard and natterjack toad and the damage to their permanent resting and residence areas is limited and also largely temporary," it said.
The Duinbehoud conservation group said it would appeal.
"The court has judged it acceptable for more than 10 hectares of protected animal habitant to be lost," said the group's chief Marc Janssen.
He said the ruling ignored the fact that the area would be paved over and that it could take "many years" for the nature reserve to recover.
Judgment will be given at a later date on a related case by Duinbehoud saying that the circuit breaches emissions limits.
The Dutch GP was cancelled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic.
