Good Move consultation will have to be done again

A public inquiry into Brussels' region-wide mobility plan Good Move will need to be redone due to municipalities’ procedural errors, according to Brussels state secretary for planning and heritage Ans Persoons.

The new inquiry comes after a ruling from Belgium’s Council of State, which had been asked to intervene after criticism from residents and associations who oppose the capital’s new plan, which prioritises public health and aims to boost other modes of travel besides cars.

The procedures that had to be followed during the initial public inquiry could not be respected in all municipalities, the council judged, adding that several terms still need clarification, for example, the exemption rules for building permits and their conditions.

A new public inquiry will therefore have to be conducted, during which the 19 Brussels municipalities will again be able to submit comments on the text of the plan.

Persoons said that while the council is asking for a new public inquiry on the project text, the principles are not being questioned.

“This advice allows the text to be further clarified and strengthened where necessary, while sticking to the essence of the project: a regulation that radically focuses on the future,” said Persoons.

“The opinion values the hard work of the past five years and allows the future Brussels government not to have to start from scratch.”