Development of Brussels pedestrian zone held up by new claim

Retailers in and around the pedestrian zone in the centre of Brussels are holding up improvements to the area by filing legal cases against the city council’s plans. A committee set up to consult with the various interest groups said that the plan to renovate the central avenue by the end of 2018 has little chance of being realised.

A trial run of the pedestrian zone began in June 2015 and immediately encountered protest from local residents and businesses. When plans for the permanent renovation of the area were announced later, an association of retailers filed a complaint against the planning permit with the Council of State, where the auditor agreed with them in the official opinion.

It was the auditor’s opinion that there had not been enough consultation with the public, so the city council created a committee made up of residents, business owners and other interested parties. This week the committee came down in favour of the renovations.

However, the committee’s remit was limited to the new pedestrian zone itself, while one of the main causes of protest is the traffic plan for cars unable to enter the zone. On that question, the retailers’ association has issued a new legal challenge, likely to delay progress for at least another year.

“The chance is slim that the renovation plans will be achieved before the elections,” said Groen member of the Brussels parliament Bruno De Lille. A proponent of the pedestrian zone, he said that he understood the retailers’ case. “They’re allowed to discuss the colour of the paving stones, but not mobility,” he said. “It’s only logical they should resist.”

Photo: Nicolas Maeterlinck/BELGA