Several large office buildings in Brussels, used by the European Commission until several years ago, in the Brussels municipality of Auderghem might be transformed into almost 200 homes, as the commune seeks to breathe new life into buildings that have been empty for years.
Property developer Matexi has submitted a planning application for the Beaulieu-Triangles site at 24-33 Avenue de Banlieu. Three of the four buildings would be revamped to host 189 homes, and the fourth would remain entirely dedicated to offices.
The revamp would also include 841.8 m² of retail space, 1,603.5 m² for a large specialised retailer, 713.5 m² of offices and 333.6 m² of community facilities. The plans include 152 covered parking spaces, changes to the surrounding area and the removal of 62 trees.
The buildings formerly housed the Commission's offices, which now has its offices around the Schuman roundabout in central Brussels. Auderghem's councillor for Urban planning, Matthieu Pillois, told The Brussels Times that the buildings in question have been empty for about four to five years.
"We have a lot of office buildings that are empty because they can no longer find tenants," Pillois explained. "So yes, they need to be converted, and they need to be occupied."
The buildings have been vacant for several years and are now earmarked for redevelopment. Credit: Auderghem Commune.
Although housing is set to be the main use of the three revamped buildings, Pillois said Auderghem still wants offices to remain part of Beaulieu. One of the four buildings will be dedicated to offices and additional office space is planned within the rest of the development.
Nonetheless, the councillor is wary that requiring developers to retain large amounts of office space would be unrealistic given current demand. "The office market in Brussels is struggling," he said. "Asking to retain a lot of offices when we know very well that they will never be filled doesn't make sense."
Instead, Auderghem wants developments to combine different functions. Alongside housing, shops and offices, the Beaulieu project includes space for community facilities, which Pillois said could eventually host medical practices, nurseries or sports facilities.
If completed, the project would help transform Beaulieu from a predominantly business district into a livelier mixed quarter. "We're going to go from a neighbourhood that had a lot of offices to a neighbourhood where we'll find more housing, but also community facilities, shops and so on," Pillois said.
The revamp is part of a broader policy that aims to give empty existing buildings a second life rather than demolishing them. "The current policy is to favour the conversion of existing buildings to be much more sustainable," the councillor said, adding that demolition can still be justified when necessary.
Permit could take years
These kinds of revamps usually take a long time; Auderghem has not yet taken a position on whether Matexi should go ahead with the project. “At this stage, we don't take a position because we’re in the public consultation process,” Pillois said. The commune will assess the application and consider residents' comments before deciding.
Pillois also clarified that, despite the project having been under discussion for several years, this is the first formal planning application for the revamp. The proposal went through architectural work and several project meetings before reaching the permit application stage.
A public information meeting will take place on 28 September, followed by a public consultation from 1 to 30 October. The consultation committee is scheduled to consider the project on 19 November.
Residents have therefore not yet formally submitted their concerns about the project, Pillois said, as that process will begin with the public consultation.
Even if the project eventually receives approval, the councillor cautioned that the process could take considerably longer. “I don't think the permit will be granted in 2026. I'm not even certain it will be granted in 2027,” he said.
“It is very rare for a permit to be granted on the first application for a project as significant as this one.”
