Plans to deepen the Westerschelde estuary may now go ahead after the country’s highest court, the council of state, tore up objections to the plan.

Work on the project was halted last summer after a preliminary council of state ruling. That decision led to a diplomatic row between the Netherlands and Belgium.
The estuary separates the two countries and accesses Antwerp port. The two countries signed an agreement to deepen the estuary in 2005 but work on the Dutch side has not yet started because of political objections and planning disputes. Flanders claimed the problems are costing Antwerp port €70m in lost income a year.