Vlaams Stedelijk Gebied rond Brussel (VSGB, Flemish Urban Area around Brussels)

Metropolitan Region

In 1996, Flemish Minister of Spatial Planning Eddy Baldewyns presented the proposal for a Ruimtelijk Structuurplan Vlaanderen (RVS, Spatial Structural Plan for Flanders). The Region, its provinces and municipalities would finally develop a consistent view on spatial planning. The planners started from the basic principle that as much as possible of the unused open land in Flanders should be preserved. The government preferred having new buildings, offices and companies built in and around the cities. The RVS covered 3 metropolitan areas: Antwerpen, Gent and Brussel. The Flemish Region obviously has no say over the Brussels Capital Region. However, the plan stated that as many as 15 Flemish municipalities surrounding Brussels could be part of the metropolitan region. These were Sint-Genesius-Rode, Beersel, Linkebeek, Drogenbos, Sint-Pieters-Leeuw, Dilbeek, Asse, Wemmel, Grimbergen, Vilvoorde, Machelen, Zaventem, Kraainem, Wezembeek-Oppem and Tervuren. A more precise demarcation would be decided on later.

Protest and Adjustment

The plan caused a wave of protests. During the public inquiry, 35,000 objections were lodged, 10 % of which only concerned the Vlaamse Rand. The district departments of the Flemish political parties, several associations and municipalities expressed their dissatisfaction. The plan was at odds with the Green Belt Policy the government has been pursuing for almost 30 years. As a result, the final RVS included a name change (to Vlaams Stedelijk Gebied rond Brussel (VSGB, Flemish Urban Area around Brussels) and the condition that the VSGB had to be delineated to as limited an extent as possible. Later Linkebeek and Sint-Genesius-Rode were dropped from the list of municipalities concerned. During the next stage, the Flemish Government decided that the VSGB should have its own development perspective, as in this suburban area it did not want to pursue the same policy of heavy urbanisation as it did in other urban areas. Earlier aims regarding additional housing and industrial sites no longer had priority. Instead, the importance of preserving open areas was stressed. The Flemish Government preferred to redevelop old sites and intensify the use of existing industrial and residential areas. Furthermore, accompanying measures needed to be introduced regarding open areas, economy, housing and mobility.

Follow-Up

The third stage of the demarcation process has since been completed: the final report proposal. The Flemish Government plans to finish the final demarcation report this autumn. This report holds no legal power, but is the basis for a Gewestelijk Ruimtelijk Uitvoeringsplan (gewRUP, regional spatial implementation programme) that does. This gewRUP is planned to be drawn up in spring 2009. The spatial implementation programme will delineate the VSGB on plot level and include changes of designated land use as well as regulations for construction and administration. As is the case with the current Regional Land Use Plan plan, it will make up the framework for granting licences.

The general public will be able to voice its opinion twice: public inquiries are planned both for the environmental impact report and the gewRUP itself.

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