The Council of State has suspended the planning permit granted by the Brussels Region for a second supervised drug-use space in the capital, near Ribaucourt metro station.
The project, known as LinkUp, was to be set up in the former Sunrise Hotel on Leopold II Avenue, offering up to 150 places a day for people with severe addiction to use their own drugs under supervision, alongside access to healthcare.
It would have complemented the existing GATE facility at Lemonnier.
Molenbeek council opposed the plan, arguing that the site was "inappropriate" given its location in a densely populated neighbourhood with schools, businesses, and family homes. The municipality warned it risked worsening public drug use already reported around Ribaucourt.
The Council of State upheld concerns raised in local objections and the council's negative recommendation, citing unresolved issues around safety, nuisance and the project's scale. The suspension, dated 23 September, was announced on Wednesday.
Brussels health body Iriscare, which is funding the project, said it remained determined to realise LinkUp.
The building has already been renovated to meet safety standards, and the organisation is now working with urban.brussels on a stronger application. The aim is still to open the centre in 2025.
