Urban Planning: faster permits and planning amnesty

RPD commitments

The Regional Policy Declaration devotes a significant section to urban planning and spatial development, with several structural reforms:

Faster permits

• Shorter processing times for urban planning permits — target to halve the approval period
• Simplified procedures for housing projects and energy renovations
• Full digitalisation of the application process via urban.brussels
• Fast-Track single window for the Urban Free Zones (Port of Brussels + Audi Forest site): centralised permit applications (planning, environment, aid) through a single entry point

Planning amnesty

• Regularisation of historic violations — compliance mechanism for situations predating a cut-off date
• Objective: reduce the backlog of infringement cases and provide legal certainty to property owners

CRMS reform

• Removal of the binding opinion of the Royal Commission for Monuments and Sites, replaced by a simple advisory opinion
• Objective: unblock renovation projects in protected areas without eliminating heritage protection

Major projects

• Neo (Heysel) — revival of the congress and entertainment project on the Heysel plateau
• Ongoing SDPs — continuation of Strategic Development Plans for key areas

Brownfields: parliamentary vote (27 February 2026)

The Brussels Parliament rejected (68 to 4, 2 abstentions) an Ecolo draft ordinance proposing a construction moratorium on 9 green zones (Josaphat in Schaerbeek, Chant des Cailles in Watermael-Boitsfort, Meylemeersch in Anderlecht, Donderberg in Laeken, among others). Ecolo was the only group to vote against the rejection; N-VA and Vlaams Belang abstained.

The majority is applying the compromise set out in the coalition agreement:

• 3 sites permanently preserved: Wiels, Avijl, Donderberg
• 18-month moratorium on the remaining sites (Keyenbempt, Calevoet, Josaphat, Meylemeersch)
• Alain Maron (Ecolo) criticised the compromise as offering "no legal certainty" to local residents

Brownfield construction freeze: government appeal (March 2026)

The Brussels government has appealed the October 2025 ruling that imposed a construction freeze (bouwstop) on all brownfields larger than 0.5 hectares in the Brussels Region. The non-profit We Are Nature has announced it will counter by demanding penalty payments of EUR 250,000 to 500,000 per infraction to enforce compliance with the initial ruling.

Sites directly affected by this dispute:

• Palais du Midi (Metro 3 project — missing link)
• Bempt (Union Saint-Gilloise stadium)
• Kwartelveld

The outcome of this appeal, expected in 2027-2028, will determine the continuation of Metro 3 and several major real estate projects.

Sources: BRUZZ, La Libre, Le Soir (20-21 March 2026).

Jubelpark: Beliris renovation (federal decision, February 2026)

The federal Council of Ministers approved the launch of the call for tenders for the Jubelpark (Cinquantenaire) renovation, on a proposal by Bernard Quintin (MR, Beliris). The works aim to have the park ready for Belgium's bicentenary in 2030.

Planned works:

• Renewal of green zones, replanting and resurfacing of walking paths
• Athletics track and sports fields (the track will not be expanded to standard dimensions, to preserve the symmetry of the listed park)
• Rainwater collection system on the museum roofs
• Restoration of monumental staircases
• New pathway lighting (switched off at midnight to limit light pollution and protect fauna)
• Additional bike racks and cargo bike spaces
• Improved accessibility for persons with reduced mobility

Beliris is a federal cooperation mechanism for funding infrastructure in Brussels. This project falls under federal competence, but the works directly concern Brussels territory.

Tour & Taxis: water tower classified as heritage (March 2026)

The Secretary of State for Heritage classified the water tower and the electrical substation on the Tour & Taxis site. This classification protects these early 20th-century industrial architectural elements against any unauthorised demolition or transformation.

The Tour & Taxis site, a former freight station converted into a mixed-use district (offices, housing, public spaces), is the subject of major real estate developments. The classification of these structures ensures the preservation of Brussels' industrial heritage within this reconversion.

Source: DH (17 March 2026).

CoBAT reform: first concrete measures (19 March 2026)

The Secretary of State for Urban Planning announced on 19 March 2026 the first concrete measures of the CoBAT reform (Brussels Code of Territorial Planning):

Single permit:

• Integration of the environmental permit into the urban planning code — a single permit instead of two
• Target: timelines halved by the end of the legislature, with a maximum of 6 months for a standard permit

Institutional merger:

• Urban.brussels + Perspective.brussels merge into a new entity "Brussels Urbanism"
• Estimated savings: EUR 1,370,000 (operations) + EUR 232,000 (staff)

Revision of the PRAS (Regional Land Use Plan) underway.

Other planned reforms (DPR, chapter 6):

• RRU: revision of the Regional Urban Planning Regulation, which sets the standards applicable to all construction projects
• MyPermit: full digitalisation of the permit application process via the urban.brussels platform
• DLUU: establishment of a single legal urban planning deadline, to reduce uncertainty on processing times

Source: RTBF / Belga (19 March 2026).

Bois de la Cambre: urbanistic violation (23 March 2026)

The regional service urban.brussels issued a formal citation against the City of Brussels for urbanistic violations in the Bois de la Cambre. At issue: 40 concrete blocks installed on 13 March 2026 to replace boulders, without a building permit in a classified zone.

State Secretary for Urban Planning Audrey Henry (MR) recalled the obligation to obtain a permit for any development in a protected zone. Minister-President Boris Dilliès (MR) criticised "improvised and successive developments". Mobility Alderman Anais Maes (Vooruit, City of Brussels) confirmed a permit application would be submitted shortly (anchored blocks, aesthetic solution forthcoming).

This conflict illustrates an emerging tension between MR (Region) and Vooruit (City), the first visible crack in the 7-party government (day 37).

Sources: L'Avenir, DH (23 March 2026).

Key agencies

• urban.brussels — regional urban planning administration (permits, violations, SDPs)
• perspective.brussels — territorial planning and impact studies
• BMA (Bouwmeester Maître Architecte) — architectural quality of public projects
• SAU (Urban Development Corporation) — development of regional sites

We Are Nature circular: projects unblocked (3 April 2026)

The government approved on 3 April 2026 an interpretive circular to allow the processing of planning applications during the appeal procedure against the We Are Nature judgment.

In October 2025, the French-speaking court of first instance had ordered the Region to suspend the urbanisation of natural spaces (action brought by the ASBL We Are Nature). The government appealed on 20 March 2026.

The circular specifies that administrations may continue processing applications for projects on sites of 0.5 ha or more, provided that project promoters supply additional information on climate/emissions impact (GHG reduction, carbon sinks, tree zones). Projects within an approved SDP (Strategic Development Plan) are not covered by the judgment.

State Secretary for Urban Planning Audrey Henry (MR) confirmed that no effective moratorium is applied: projects continue despite the judgment.

Source: BRUZZ (3 April 2026). Confidence: official (government).

Sources and methodology

The commitments documented above come from the official RPD text and corroborating press sources covering the government agreement of 12 February 2026.