A possible appeal against the redevelopment of the Schuman square in Brussels' European quarter has been avoided as a compromise was reached regarding traffic accessibility.
The traffic accessibility of the Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée – located beside the Parc du Cinquentenaire – has been the subject of debate since the start, however, it has now been agreed the project will be re-adapted to propose a two-way traffic system for all modes of transport on this road, as was requested by the mayor of Etterbeek.
"The removal of this two-way street on the Avenue de la Joyeuse Entrée would have ruined the economy of the project and created an impassable urban barrier between the south and the north of the town," mayor Vincent Dewolf said.
"The fact that the Brussels government is committed to submitting an amending permit for the Schuman project as soon as possible preserves the legitimate interests of the people of Etterbeek and Brussels."
Determining Brussels' image
The two-way traffic system on the street will remain intact for all modes of transport, while optimal comfort for active modes of transport will be sought simultaneously. The project will turn the large square central to the European district into a largely car-free zone, where vast pedestrian areas will stretch from the Parc du Cinquentenaire to the Loi tunnel.
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"Today, the Schuman Square is a grey car roundabout, it is a priority for us to turn it into a real urban square. Moreover, it is also a strategic project that will help determine the image of Brussels abroad," Pascal Smet, Brussels Secretary of State for Urban Planning, said in a statement to The Brussels Times.
"Thanks to a good dialogue between the parties involved, there will be no appeal from the municipality and the building permit can therefore be executed."
The new plan for this particular street will be submitted to the public enquiry via a request for a modifying permit, allowing residents and the municipalities of Etterbeek and Brussels-City to express their views on it once again.
