New public consultation for Josaphat housing project despite construction freeze

A new public consultation into plans to build more than 500 homes on the Josaphat site in Schaerbeek is being held from 28 August to 29 September, despite the freeze on all construction in the capital per the Brussels government’s coalition agreement.

The new public inquiry relates to a property developer’s plans to build more on the 24-hectare site along the railway line between Evere and Meiser railway stations.

“At a time of heat-related deaths and historic drought, the government wants to press ahead with this prehistoric project,” nature conservation organisation We Are Nature said.

“We saw the excess mortality this summer, with 200 heat-related deaths in Brussels. The High Fens are on fire. You cannot say that this project is suited to the current times.”

The organisation and many local residents oppose the plans, which have already been the subject of several public inquiries.

Approval of the latest development would not grant the developers permission to carry out the project, for which a separate public consultation must be organised, but would allow them to construct the necessary roads and utilities.

“By launching the public consultation, the Brussels government is failing to honour its own promises,” said Jean-Baptiste Godinot, chair of We Are Nature.

“Furthermore, it’s disregarding court rulings. This is a major democratic problem.”

The ruling handed down by the French-speaking Court of First Instance in Brussels last November, following a complaint by We Are Nature, imposed a construction freeze on all plots larger than 0.5 hectares until the end of this year.

The organisation also criticised the policy statement issued by the Brussels government, which said that development of the Josaphat site will be put on hold during the government’s first 18 months in office and that the government would review the project at the end of that period.

"The state secretary in charge will say they will hold off on the works, but why then apply for a planning permission now?" Godinot added. "If the subdivision permit is granted, it will give the developer the right to press ahead with his plans."

State secretary for urban planning Audrey Henry (MR) - a former mayor of Schaerbeek - said the launch of the public inquiry did not contravene the ruling of the Brussels Court of First Instance or the government’s own coalition agreement.

“A public inquiry doesn’t in itself mean that a project will be developed or that construction work will begin. The land subdivision permit establishes the urban planning framework for future development,” Henry said, noting that even if a land subdivision permit is granted, work on the site’s utility infrastructure would not begin before August 2027 and further public consultations would be required.

But Godinot added: "The Brussels government is doing everything it shouldn’t be doing: it’s now planning the destruction of the Josaphat site."

The Brussels government lodged an appeal against the ruling on the temporary construction freeze earlier this year.

“We have lodged an appeal against that appeal because we want the construction freeze to be extended,” said Godinot, adding that We Are Nature will oppose any planning permission granted for the Josaphat site.

“We will challenge every planning permission and I am convinced that we can win.”