Challenge over expired permit for Uplace shopping centre

The controversial shopping and leisure centre Uplace in Machelen, just outside of Brussels, is under fire again, this time over an expired socio-economic permit.

On Thursday, the Flemish parliament’s economy committee voted in favour of a new decree on commercial establishments. It included the recognition that all permits valid on 1 July, 2014, would remain valid as long as a procedure was ongoing before the Council of State or the council for permit disputes.

That includes the socio-economic permit for Uplace, which expired last September. According to the opposition, the measure is a way of renewing the Uplace permit while avoiding a legal procedure.

Unizo, the organisation that represents the self-employed in Flanders, has called the move “the Uplace back door”. Unizo is one of the organisations to have contested Uplace before the Council of State, arguing that the complex would be damaging to small businesses in nearby town centres such as Vilvoorde and Leuven.

Flemish economy minister Philippe Muyters claims the opposition is spreading inaccurate information. His colleague, environment minister Joke Schauvliege, has approved a new environmental permit for Uplace.

A previous permit, issued in 2012, was declared void by the Council of State in 2014. The new permit takes account of the council’s objections relating to brownfield covenants and to public transport infrastructure.

Photo courtesy Uplace