Chambre des Urbanistes de Belgique (CUB) 

Belgium (Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region)

(Chambre des Urbanistes de Belgique (CUB)

Belgium
ECTP-CEU member since: 1977
Amount of own members: 136
President: Serge PEETERS speeters@urbanistes.be
Delegate(s): Catherine VILQUIN catherine.vilquin@xm-u.eu
Contacts: Chambre des Urbanistes de Belgique (CUB)
c/o Architects House
rue Ernest ALLARD 21
1000 BRUXELLES

Tel: +32 (0)2 512 34 52
Email: mail@urbanistes.be
Web: www.urbanistes.be

Annual CUB reports to ECTP-CEU

Belgium’s projects presented by the CUB to the ECTP-CEU European and Regional Planning Awards:
2016 11th Edition:
• A new heart for Brussels
Winner

• Liege Airport the wings of success

2014 – 10th Edition:
• Aménagement d’un quartier en transition – Projet Houyoux

2012 – 9th Edition:
• Anciennes sucreries Genappe
• Une autre échelle pour Bruxelles – Europolis
• Quartiers Durables

2010 – 8th Edition:
• Brussels Region – Promenade Verte Région Bruxelles Capitale (Regional Green Walk)
Special Mention

2008 – 7th Edition:
Category: Cross-Border Planning / Regional Planning / Territorial Cohesion

• The Green Metropolis – Brussels Region
tri-national regional development project (Germany / Netherlands / Belgium)

2006 – 6th Edition:
Category: Urban Design Highly Commended

• Liège – Le Parc Saint-Léonard, Wallonia Region
La ville de Liège, bureau Baumans-Deffet, Ministère de la région Wallonne

2004 – 5th Edition:
–

2002 – 4th Edition:
–
1998 – 3rd Edition:
–
1994 – 2nd Edition:
• La région Maastricht-Heerlen-Aachen-Liège-Hasselt-Genk (MHAL), Pays-Bas en association avec l’Allemagne et la Belgique
Développement inter-frontalier (fortement recommandé)

1991 – 1st Edition:
• Lasne – Le Plan Particulier d’Aménagmnt de Lasne

Country Factsheet for Belgium (.be)
ECTP-CEU Study Profession qualification Recognition – Stage II document – Appendix 4 Draft Directory (2012-12-21)
General Country Information
Capital City Brussels
Population 11,200,000
Area (km2) 30,510
Population Density 366,9 per km2
EU Membership Belgium joined what is now known as the EU as a founding member in 1957.

Belgium is currently a federal state composed of three regions that have a high degree of autonomy. Following the recent institutional reforms, the country is resolutely evolving towards a confederal state (= 3 states, with only a few matters to the confederal umbrella, following internal agreements).

Belgium’s Ministry contacts:

Within the federal state of Belgium, Urban and Spatial planning matters are fully regionalized matters. This means that there are no spatial planning policies or laws at the national level. Instead, there are three regional bodies with their corresponding laws and regulations: “Vlaams Gewest”, “ Wallonie” and Région de Bruxelles Capitale/Brussels Hoofdstedelijke Gewest. They each have a Ministry of urbanism and planning.
The planning organizations VRP and CUB are organized following the two main languages in Belgium: respectively Dutch and French . This means VRP is active in both Vlaams Gewest and Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest, whereas CUB is active in both Wallonie and Région de Bruxelles Capitale.
• for Brussels Region (official name : “Région de Bruxelles Capitale /Hoofdstedelijk Brussels Gewest”)

http://www.urbanisme.irisnet.be
http://www.developpement-urbain.irisnet.be

• for Wallonia (official name : « Wallonie ») :

DGO 4 Operational Directorate of Land, Housing, Heritage and Energy http://dgo4.spw.wallonie.be/dgatlp/dgatlp/default.asp

• for Flanders (see VRP)

Planning as a Regulated Profession in Wallonia / Brussels Capital Region / Flanders
As Urban and Spatial planning are regionalized matters in Belgium, each of the country’s three regions (Flanders, Brussels-Capital and Wallonia) is competent for these matters within their respective territory.
However, the title is not protected nor is the profession recognized as such in Belgium. To develop planning legal documents, amenities specific to each of three regions are required and are issued by each of them.

Professional Title:
• For Wallonia and Brussels Capital Region
The common professional name is “planner” (“urbaniste”); the official professional name is “approved project author” (“Auteur de projet agréé”).
• For Flanders : see VRP

EU Database Status:
The profession of planner in Belgium is therefore not included in the EU Database of Regulated Professions.

National Regulation:
None.
Regional regulation:
Each regional government regulates who may produce statutory plans.

Universities with approved trainings in Belgium
The courses leading to the profession of Planner or Approved Project Author are 3rd level qualification (“être porteur d’un diplôme de niveau supérieur”).
In Belgium these are community related (= not linked to a territory – the 3 regions- but to a linguistic role).
• For Francophone diplomas, it is the concerned Ministry of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (“Fédération Wallonie/Bruxelles”). They recognize the diplomas for planning awarded by French speaking Universities and High Schools which are :
o Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB)
o Université catholique de Louvain (UCL)
o Université de Liège (ULg)
o Institut Supérieur d’Urbanisme et de Rénovation Urbaine (ISURU)

• For Flemish diplomas : see VRP

Example from “ECTP-CEU Draft Stage 2 Study on the Recognition of Planning Qualifications in Europe”, in “Master en Urbanisme et Aménagement du Territoire” (Master in Urban Planning) at ISURU, “l’Institut Supérieur d’Urbanisme et de Rénovation urbaine”.

Master Urban Planning, ISURU Brussels:

Here it is a two year course with a focus on the Planning Product matter, similar to the Flanders course example.

Town Planning Francophone Press of Belgium
• Les Cahiers Nouveaux
http://spw.wallonie.be/dgO4/site_cahiers/
• Ateliers de Recherche et d’Action Urbaine (ARAU) :
http://www.arau.org
• Inter-Environnement Bruxelles (IEB) :
http://www.ieb.be
• Inter-Environnement Wallonie (IEW)
http://www.iewonline.be
• A+ (bilingual)
http://www.a-plus.be

Regional regulation in « Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (RBC) /Brussels Hoofdstedelijk Gewest (BHG)»:

SPATIAL PLANNING MATTERS:
There are guidance documents (or “strategic”) and legal documents. They are recorded in the Brussels Code of Spatial Development (“CoBAT” = Code Bruxellois d’Aménagement du Territoire”; for the essential and synthesis:
REGIONAL LEVEL DOCUMENTS
AREA = RBC / BHG = 1,200,000 inhabitants, 161,4 km²
• STRATEGY PAPER (indicative value but mandatory reference for the authorities):
o Regional Development Plan or “PRD” (Plan Régional de Développement) (recently renamed “PRDD”; Plan Régional de Développement Durable (sustainable) to illustrate the will of sustainability).

• REGULATORY DOCUMENT (required value):
o Regional Land Use Plan or “PRAS” (Plan Régional d’Affectation du sol); recently renamed PRAS Démographique) to illustrate the runaway population issue)
o Regional Planning Regulations (“RRU”) (Règlement Régional d’Urbanisme”) that also includes the general rules and standards (some of which are historically and temporarily still common amongst the Regions)

MUNICIPAL LEVEL DOCUMENTS
AREA = ONE OF THE 19 MUNICIPALITIES OF VARIOUS SIZES INCLUDING THE “CITY OF BRUSSELS” +/-177,000 INHABITANTS, CAPITAL OF THE COUNTRY
• STRATEGY PAPER (indicative value but mandatory for the authorities):
o the Municipal Development Plan or “PCD” (Plan Communal de Développement)

• REGULATORY DOCUMENT (required value)
o Individual Plan Land Use or “PPAS”(Plan Particulier d’Affectation du sol).
o Municipal Planning Regulations or “RCU” (Règlement communal d’urbanisme”) which is zoned for a specific area; quite scarce.

APPROVALS

There are 2 or, usually 3 approvals relating to municipal records, regional records are, in fact, developed by the regional services even if they outsource significant portions to private offices:
• for the development of PCD; they are valid for 5 years
• for the development of PPAS; they are valid 5 years
• for the impact studies on these documents; indeed, following the European Directive, the legislation imposes “impact studies” or “environmental impact report” on these documents; to this specific approval is also required; it is valid for 15 years; however, in many cases, public authorities demand that the author of the project “has the double agreement” i.e. both the spatial development document as well as the environment study.

Licences are granted on the bases of education, professional experience and references and on base of a file to submit to an agreement commission for each category of document.

• Regional Government Authorities (licensing and supervisory approval of regional and municipal documents)
• Municipal Authorities (approval of municipal documents)

TOWN PLANNING MATTERS

Town planning is the study of public spaces including a concrete realization (construction).
REGULATORY DOCUMENTS:
Municipal and/or regional (following the cases) allowing to build (“permis d’urbanisme”, “permis de lotir”)
APPROVALS:
To develop these plans, an architecture or civil engineering degree is required.

• Ministry of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation (“Fédération Wallonie/Bruxelles”) to recognize the diplomas awarded by French speaking Universities and High Schools.(see also before: approved trainings)
• Flemish corresponding Ministries : see VRP

Regional regulation in « Wallonie »:
16.844 km²

SPATIAL PLANNING MATTERS
There are guidance documents (or “strategic”) and regulatory documents.
They are recorded in the CWATUPE (“Code Wallon de l’Aménagement du Territoire, de l’Urbanisme et du Patrimoine”)

In 2014 and after extensive consultations of all stakeholders in urban and territorial planning, the CWATUPE was completely rewritten and renamed Code of Territorial Development ( “CoDT = Code du Développement Territorial).
It underlies a “project” approach rather than a juridical approach, a result obligation (towards aims) more than a juridical way to carry out obligations) ; and any planning document or development must be preceded by an analysis of socio-economic, environmental and heritage needs that will influence the outline of the project, while meeting the primary objectives and principles of Codt.

This new code will be operational as from May 2016; CWATUP remains meanwhile with a similar system, but with other names, than in the Brussels Capital Region.

New CoDT is not yet totally clear and ready but the guidelines are:
• only the area plan describing the compulsory using of the ground ( “Plan de Secteur”), legal document of land management, is maintained as obligatory; although it may be partially modified (restricted area) through clearly identified procedures.
• However, all other planning and development documents (past and present, but could still have been considered) are remerged into strategic documents with indicative value, while planning regulations have evolved into ” planning guides” subject to compliance with technical standards.
In this respect, it is introduced the concept of “deviation to an indication”, the “exemption to a standard.”
It goes without saying that such flexibility in the use of the document should be based on the motivation of the gap, based on both the need to achieve such a project, but also its ability to “fit in”.

TOWN PLANNING MATTERS

Similar as in the Brussels Capital Region – with other names (for example “permis d’urbanisation” instead of “permis de lotir”) for the regulatory documents.

Official interesting websites about planning
BRUSSELS CAPITAL REGION
Bruxelles Développement urbain
http://www.developpement-urbain.irisnet.be
Agence de Développement Territorial (ADT) ASBL
Site web : http://www.adt-ato.brussels
Bruxelles Mobilité
http://www.bruxellesmobilite.be
Société des transports intercommunaux de Bruxelles
http://www.stib-mivb.be
Bruxelles Environnement-IBGE
Site web : http://www.environnement.brussels
Conseil économique et social de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (CESRBC)
Site web : http://www.ces.irisnet.be
Agence pour le commerce (Atrium)
Site web : http://www.atrium.irisnet.be
Citydev.brussels
Site web : http://www.citydev.brussels
Port de Bruxelles
Site web : http://www.portdebruxelles.be
Société Régionale d’Investissement de Bruxelles (S.R.I.B.)
Site web : http://www.srib.be
Société du Logement de la Région de Bruxelles-Capitale (SLRB)
Site web : http://www.slrb.irisnet.be
Institut Bruxellois de Statistique et d’Analyse (IBSA)
Site web: http://www.ibsa.irisnet.be

WALLONIA
ARCT Regional Planning Commission http://dgo4.spw.wallonie.be/DGATLP/DGATLP/Pages/DAU/Pages/Particip/PartReg01.asp

CESRW (Conseil Economique et Social de la Région Wallonne):
http://www.cesrw.be/

CPDT (Conférence Permanente du Développement Territorial): http://cpdt.wallonie.be/

CRMSF Royal Commission of Monuments, Sites and Excavations http://www.crmsf.be/fr/

CWEDD Walloon Council of the Environment for Sustainable Development http://www.cwedd.be/

DGO 1 Operational Branch Roads and Buildings http://routes.wallonie.be/struct.jsp?chap=0&page=0

DGO 2 Operational Directorate General for Mobility and Waterways
http://voies-hydrauliques.wallonie.be/opencms/opencms/fr

DGO 3 Operational Directorate General for Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment http://spw.wallonie.be/dce/spip.php?mot26

DGO 4 Operational Directorate of Land, Housing, Heritage and Energy http://dgo4.spw.wallonie.be/dgatlp/dgatlp/default.asp

DGO 5 Operational Directorate of Local Authorities, Social Action and Health http://pouvoirslocaux.wallonie.be/jahia/Jahia/

DGO 6 Operational Directorate General for Economy, Employment & Research http://recherche-technologie.wallonie.be/

Geoportal Wallonia
http://geoportail.wallonie.be/home.html

SPW Public Service of Wallonia
http://www.wallonie.be/

UVCW Union of Towns and Municipalities of Wallonia
http://www.uvcw.be/

FEDERATION WALLONIE BRUXELLES (for teaching)
FWB Fédération Wallonie Bruxelles
http://www.federation-wallonie-bruxelles.be/