In the meantime, Elia said the company is putting the final touches on a nature-inclusive design for the island that will be submitted later this year. Together with outside experts, the design was examined to determine which items could be adjusted or added with a view to boosting biodiversity on and around the island.

Princess Elisabeth Island will be an energy hub 45 kilometres off the Belgian coast connecting new wind farms and additional interconnectors, to the UK and Denmark, to Belgium’s onshore power grid.