Urban Integration

For the Port of Brussels, one of the key objectives is to optimise the asset of its establishment at the heart of a large metropolis. In this context, urban integration constitutes a crucial issue for the port development

From the beginning of the creation of the regional company of the Port of Brussels, between 1993 and 1999, the Port has benefited from an annual regional allowance (special “Béco” allowance) in order to reassign part of left bank of the Béco Dock as public space, dedicated in particular to river cruising activities. These arrangements were made in collaboration with Brussels Environment. After this first reassignment of port space as public space, most of Right Bank was also reassigned as public space in 2000-2002. These arrangements were carried out on the basis of a strategic plan approved by the Region (“Béco Strategic Plan”).

Since then, the Region and the Port have decided to extend the urban integration strategy to the whole of the port estate. By means of an annual allowance (“Urban Integration Allowance”), various urban integration projects have been implemented between 2003 and today (embellishment of port infrastructures, installation of public spaces, measurements for a better identification  of the port estate, construction or restoration of facilities for sports/leisure activities, installation of heritage-related or artistic elements…).