The Flemish government owns 137 vacant buildings, nearly 6% of its entire property portfolio.
The unused properties, scattered across 64 municipalities, cover a total area of 66,255.7 square metres. They include canal-side cottages, old customs offices, forest barns, a salt storage facility in Brakel, and lighthouses in Ostend, Nieuwpoort, and Knokke-Heist. Many once served useful purposes but have been abandoned over time. Of these buildings, 23 are currently classified as “unsuitable and unliveable”, five are neglected, and two have been squatted.
The government agency with the highest number of vacant buildings is De Vlaamse Waterweg, which owns 64 properties, including 22 lockkeeper houses.
Last year, Flanders sold 21 of its buildings, although the revenue from these sales remains undisclosed. A further 89 sites are due for sale, including 23 residential homes, four barns, six agricultural facilities, and two warehouses. For 24 buildings, the officially listed strategy remains “none” or “unclear”.
