After delays and rows, Brussels football club Union Saint-Gilloise (USG) will soon submit its planning permit application for a new stadium "in the spring".
Outgoing Brussels Secretary of State Ans Persoons (Vooruit) answered a question on Monday in the Brussels Parliament's Territorial Development Committee, posed by Gaëtan Van Goidsenshoven (MR), saying that the procedure would take around 160 days.
The Brussels club is currently in pole position to win the Jupiler Pro League after a remarkable run of form, which has seen them leap-frog their rivals into first place with two games left.
Some tickets for the final game of the season against Gent at their current home at Joseph Marien Stadium are going on TicketSwap for over €100 – partly due to the current stadium’s capacity of 9,000.
Yet Monday's announcement will breathe new life into the club’s push for a new home. The club play at the historic Joseph Marien Stadium, which is nestled inside the bucolic Duden Park in the municipality of Forest.
Except for renovation work between 2016 and 2018, the listed Art Deco stadium has been USG's home since 1919. It is also one of the last remaining old school grounds in Europe equipped with classic terraces for fans, greatly boosting the home atmosphere.
A new club
Since its rise to the top of Belgian football in recent years, the move to a new stadium has become Union Saint-Gilloise’s main priority. This became even more urgent in light of the club’s qualification for European competition.
For the past few seasons, the club has played its European matches at OH Leuven, RSC Anderlecht and at the national Roi Baudouin stadium in the last seasons – due to the Joseph Marien stadium not meeting UEFA standards.
The new site for the new "modern and environmentally-friendly" stadium is at Bempt in Forest, along the Avenue de la 2ème Armée Britannique. The club has been consulting with local authorities in Forest for the acquisition and development of the wasteland since 2019.
The new stadium plan in Bempt, Forest. Credit: Union Saint-Gilloise
However, discussions have not been smooth sailing, particularly in the run-up to the municipal elections. Union’s management told fans living in Forest not to vote for the greens Ecolo, who led the majority council and were accused of blocking the project. Ecolo ended up losing the mayorship to the socialists, PS.
The fall-out between the municipality and the club has required the Brussels-Capital Region to step in as mediator.
"The situation is simple and sad," CEO Philippe Bormans said in July last year, insisting that all necessary processes had been completed with support of the Brussels Region. However, he accused the municipality of having failed to prioritise the project, leaving it in limbo until after the local elections.
In 2023, Forest municipality defended itself against any accusation that it was blocking the development of the project, but it reiterated that it was "essential that the impact on both mobility and the maintenance of current uses needs to be duly measured."
Union's players celebrate with the fans, Saturday 14 August 2021 in Brussels, on day 4 of the 2021-2022 'Jupiler Pro League' first division of the Belgian championship. Credit: Belga / Laurie Dieffembacq
According to Persoons’ comments on Monday, the region will continue to act as a mediator in the new application.
"I can confirm that the Region is still playing its role as mediator between the municipality, the club and regional partners to provide solid guarantees," Ans Persoons (Vooruit) explained on Monday.
These guarantees were developed in spring 2024 and approved by the Brussels Region Government on 2 May 2024 as a working basis, the State Secretary added. This draft framework agreement responds to the municipality's requests and contains suspensive clauses in the event of non-compliance with the commitments.”
Yet, the region’s role as mediator is currently complicated by the political impasse which has left Brussels without a regional government for 11 months. The new administration could still change its priorities on the project, depending on the political formation, leading to a further delay.
Bruxelles ma ville?
"At the same time, we are preparing the upcoming decisions of the future regional government, which will have to formalise the regional commitments related to the project," added Persoons.
According to her, the sale price of the land and the relocation of municipal's technical services (currently based there) remain the main points still to be clarified.
In December 2022, Brussels Taxation carried out estimates of the site, valued at just over €3.2 million. This price did not suit Forest councillor Ahmed Ouartassi, who calculated the value of the land himself. Based on the price of surrounding properties, he arrived at a figure of between €13 million and €15 million.
Illustration picture shows the sports complex in the Bempt quarter in Forest, Brussels, which Belgian football team Royale Union Saint-Gilloise is eyeing as location for a new stadium, Tuesday 07 February 2023. Credit: Belga
However, Union's first rejected offer was of €3.5 million. For the municipality, it is not just a piece of land that is at stake, but also two sports grounds and Forest's technical services. The club must therefore also take into account relocation compensation in addition to the land, according to BX1.
Persoons even suggested that Union could leave Brussels should a solution not be found.
"Union Saint-Gilloise is a historic sporting club in our region. It is imperative that we find a local solution. Seeing this iconic club leave Brussels would be a bitter blow for our urban planning policy and for Brussels‘ reputation," she concluded.
