BRUSSELS (Brussels Morning) – The Secretary of State in charge of the Buildings Agency, Mathieu Michel (MR) presented to the Mobility Committee of the Chamber this morning his Multiannual investment plan, intended for the rehabilitation of part of the federal real estate heritage. On the program: a list of 124 projects, including twenty in Brussels, promised modernization. Budget: 5.1 billion euros. But some, like the courthouse, will not be completed until well after 2026.
Mathieu Michel said, “We know it. Many federal buildings are in poor condition and require urgent repairs in some cases”. In Brussels, the Palais de Justice is an eloquent example, but it is not the only one. 124 projects have been identified for the next few years, of which just over 20 concern buildings located in the capital. The list has been validated by the Council of Ministers. They were selected according to criteria such as the state of the building, the public concern, the energy situation of the place or its accessibility to people with reduced mobility. “ The projects whose budgetary impact is greater than 3 million euros have been listed “, indicated the Secretary of State, who specified: the presentation of this Tuesday is a presentation of the working method and a “moment of information”, not a description of each project.
Awaiting funding
Alongside the scheduled projects, Mathieu Michel wants to tackle the restoration of remarkable properties, such as the swimming pool and the theatre of the Residence Palace (Rue de la Loi), the Palace of the Dynasty , the Chinese Pavilion and the Japanese Tower . A study has been launched with a view to financing via public-private partnerships. The consolidation of Sciensano’s buildings on a single site and the construction of a 5th European School are also envisaged, within the framework of DBFM contracts (for “Design Build Finance and Maintain”, i.e. an all-inclusive formula for the management of long-term buildings). This mechanism was criticised by MP Sophie Rohonyi (DéFI) who raised the reservations expressed by the Court of Auditors with regard to these arrangements.
In his presentation, Mathieu Michel also stated his intention to rationalise the spaces currently occupied by the buildings of the region: thus in the coming years, the 6.8 million m² of surfaces currently occupied will be put on a diet to lose around 1 million m². He also recalled the preference of this government for the purchase rather than the rental of goods , contrary to what had been practised previously.
23 Brussels sites promised for renovation
►Palais de Justice (Brussels): restoration of the facade, for 2025, interior restoration for 2040
►Creation of a new circulation station for the federal police (Auderghem) (after 2026)
►Barracks De Witte de Haelen (Etterbeek): renovation / construction of a new building (partly by 2025, and after 2026)
►Caserne Géruzet (Etterbeek): new development (horizon 2025)
►State Archives (Brussels): demolition/reconstruction of hangars (after 2026)
►Royal Institute for Space Aeronomy (Uccle): creation of a temporary workshop and renovation of the electromechanical workshop (by 2025)
►IRM (Royal Meteorological Institute) (Uccle): demolitions / reconstructions (after 2026)
►Planetarium (Laeken): renovation of the planetarium and the projection room (after 2026)
►Autoworld, Cinquantenaire (Brussels): renovation of facades and frames (by 2025)
►Royal Museums of Fine Arts (Brussels): renovation (by 2025)
►Artistic Heritage Institute (Uccle): execution of the masterplan (horizon 2025)
►Royal Institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels): execution of the masterplan, renovation of facades Geology (after 2026)
►Cours des comptes (Brussels): Improvement of energy performance (horizon 2025)
►Royal Palace: Improvement of energy performance (horizon 2025)
►Council of State (Brussels): execution of the masterplan (after 2026)
►Federal police logistics centre (Uccle): creation of a hangar for the storage of exhibits (by 2025)
Studies for public-private partnership :
►Regrouping on a single Sciensano site
►Creation of a 5th European school
►Residence palace (Brussels): renovation of the swimming pool and theatre
►Dynasty Palace: restoration of the building
►Renovation of the Chinese Pavilion
►Renovation of the Japanese Tower
