The Brussels Parliament has given the go-ahead for the proposed fast-track procedure to issue permits for the partial dismantling of the iconic Palais du Midi building as part of the Metro 3 project to better connect the north and south of the city.
The decision puts an end to the years-long blocking of the construction of Brussels' Metro 3 between Saint-Gilles and Schaerbeek, resulting in a seemingly never-ending construction site by Brussels-Midi station.
Despite the abstentions of two MPs – Isabelle Pauthier (Ecolo) and Marie Nagy (DéFI) – who expressed their concern about the "heritage and social impact of this issue, which has taken a forced and coercive turn," the bill was approved.
Unblocking the metro
The construction of Metro 3 was blocked due to a 120-metre-long tunnel that needs to be dug underneath the Palais du Midi, located on Boulevard Lemonnier. However, the conditions underground are not ideal due to problems with the subsoil; in 2021, it was discovered that the bedding of the Senne River that runs underneath the building has shifted.
Credit: Belga / Nicolas Maeterlinck
As a result, the supporting pillars that would form the tunnel walls would go into the soggy soil at an angle, rather than straight – meaning they would not form a watertight seal.
Various possible solutions were proposed, but the authorities agreed that dismantling the inside of the Palais du Midi (while retaining the facades) to allow the tunnel to be dug from the inside was "the cheapest, fastest and safest option."
Still, the total cost of the project has been heavily criticised (it has almost doubled since initial predictions, to €4.4 billion). Additionally, the region was also heavily condemned for agreeing to dismantle the inside of the iconic building – with local campaigners even dubbing it "urbicide."
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In response, State Secretary for Urban Development Ans Persoons told The Brussels Times earlier this week that nobody is a fan of the decision to dismantle the building. "We are only doing it because technically we have no other choice, as the project engineers said that the Metro 3 project cannot be finished. We decided that, if we really have to do it, we'd rather do it as quickly as possible."
In Parliament on Friday, Persoons' former predecessor Pascal Smet spoke out in favour of the project, saying that Metro 3 will be a vector for a much-need modal shift, referring to the thousands of commuters who still travel to Brussels city centre by car every day.
The planning permit for the partial dismantling of the building will be issued by September 2024 – without taking into account any possible appeal periods, Persoons said.
