Brussels government approves construction plan for Media Park (Brussels)

Brussels

The Brussels government has approved the Mediapark construction plan (RPA). The plan provides for the repurposing of the Reyers site with the television channels RTBF and VRT into a residential pool aimed at the media sector. In addition to approximately 20,000 m² of media activities, there are plans for almost 1,400 homes – a significant proportion of which are public housing – in addition to local shops and community facilities.

Next to the new district there will be an accessible park of almost 10 hectares, of which 2 hectares are strictly reserved for the preservation of biodiversity.

The Mediapark site is located in Schaarbeek, close to the municipalities of Sint-Lambrechts-Woluwe and Evere. The Brussels Region bought the site of about 20 hectares from VRT and RTBF to open it up to the surrounding city environment, as stipulated in the Regional Plan for Sustainable Development (GPDO), according to a statement from Prime Minister Rudi Vervoort.

Media pool

With this city project, the Brussels government wants to develop the Reyers site into a real media pole with regional and national appeal, which can attract both companies and schools from the media sector. In addition, the site will be opened up into a residential area with a varied range of housing and space for local facilities and commerce.

To make the site more accessible by public transport, the plan provides for the possibility of constructing a new tram line and looks at routes for active road users and a wide availability of bicycle parking.

Tower

There will also be a public green space, with trees on the west side, a central terraced area and a woodland area in the east, the Georgin forest. The plan also provides for active use of the Reyers Tower. Together with Leefmilieu Brussel and Natuurpunt, work is also being done to preserve local biodiversity. To open up the site to the surrounding neighborhoods, the existing buildings will be demolished.

A series of large-scale construction sites are already in progress on the site, coordinated by the Urban Development Company (MSI), which is responsible for the full operational implementation of the city program. The works for the media house FRAME, with MSI as client, and the new headquarters of the RTBF (MediaSquare) are almost complete. Work on the future VRT building is in full swing. Delivery is scheduled for the end of 2026.

City gate

Beliris is also involved in the shipyard through the financing and development of the public spaces project, for which a permit application will soon be submitted. In the immediate vicinity of the Mediapark site, the reconstruction of Reyerslaan and the tram project between Meiser and the UCL campus should contribute to the upcoming transition of this city gate to a quieter urban life and controlled mobility.

Prime Minister Rudi Vervoort is satisfied with the green light from the Brussels government: “Providing Brussels residents and local residents with a new urban district with all the trimmings, which is accessible to everyone, which maintains and strengthens biodiversity and which media sector and the creative industry in Brussels now becomes possible and tangible thanks to the good cooperation between the private sector and the government. With new green spaces, affordable housing and public facilities, we will contribute like never before to realizing the principle that the city is everyone’s right.”