A new detention centre housing 40 inmates serving sentences of up to three years is set to open in autumn 2026 in Genk, Limburg, on the site of a former gendarmerie barracks.
The project was approved by the Genk municipal council, following favourable opinions from firefighters, the Federal Public Service Interior, and the province.
These small detention centres aim to alleviate overcrowding in traditional prisons. A 2021 government master plan proposes the creation of such centres nationwide, offering a total of 720 places.
Each centre accommodates 20 to 60 inmates and focuses on personalised rehabilitation, preparing them for reintegration and reducing the likelihood of reoffending. Offenders convicted of sexual crimes or terrorism cannot be admitted.
After centres in Kortrijk, Brussels, and Olen opened, construction for the Genk centre can now begin. However, appeals against the environmental permit are possible until 7 December at the provincial administration.
The new detention centre will replace existing structures, including an administrative building, parking spaces, garages, and two residences on Vennestraat in Genk. These will be demolished, and modular prefabricated units will be assembled.
The complex will span two levels with a total area of approximately 3,000 square metres. The cost of the project is estimated at €15.3 million.
Further centres are planned in Antwerp, Ninove, and Jemeppe-sur-Sambre. Each will have 40 places, except the Ninove centre, which will offer 25.
