In this article

1. Introduction
2. Planning tools in Belgium
3. The schemes
   • The Territorial Development Scheme (SDT)
   • The Municipal or Multi-Municipal Development Scheme (SDC or SDPC)
   • The Local Orientation Scheme (SOL)
4. The land-use plan
   • The Sector Plan

• The regulations

  • The Regional Urban Planning Guide (GRU)
  • The Municipal Urban Planning Guide (GCU)

• The strategic plans

  • The Regional Development Plan (PRD)
  • The Municipal Development Plans (PCD)

• The regulatory plans

  • The Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS)
  • The Master Land-Use Plan (PAD)
  • The Specific Land-Use Plan (PPAS)

• The regulations

• The strategic plans

  • Regional level – Beleidsplan Ruimte Vlaanderen (BRV)
  • Provincial level – Provinciaal Beleidsplan Ruimte (PBR)
  • Municipal level – Gemeentelijk (or intergemeentelijk) Beleidsplan Ruimte (GBR)

• The implementation plans

  • Regional level – Gewestelijke Ruimtelijke Uitvoeringsplannen (GRUP)
  • Provincial level – Provinciale Ruimtelijke Uitvoeringsplannen (PRUP)
  • Municipal level – Gemeentelijke Ruimtelijke Uitvoeringsplannen (GRUP)

• Urban planning regulations

• Summary table

Introduction

Spatial planning and urban planning are two related but distinct concepts in their scope and objectives:

• Spatial planning concerns the planning and management of a territory as a whole, aiming to promote balanced and sustainable development by organizing the use of natural, economic and social resources. It addresses broader issues such as transport, the environment, public facilities and the preservation of natural spaces.
• Urban planning focuses on the organization and management of urban spaces, whether already built up or intended to become so. It examines the siting of buildings, the organization of neighborhoods, public spaces and urban infrastructure, with the aim of creating urban environments that are functional, aesthetically pleasing and suited to residents’ needs. It takes into account elements such as population density, mobility, architecture, accessibility and urban aesthetics.

Urban planning and spatial planning is a Regional competence. As such, each region has its own legal basis, a code (CoDT, CoBAT, VCRO), defining the organization of this competence and its arrangements. These texts specify in particular the following elements:

• acts subject to a permit (example: do you need a permit to build a swimming pool?)
• the competent authorities (example: which authority rules on a given type of act, who draws up which plan, etc.)
• the avenues of appeal
• planning tools: these are all the tools used to set strategies and define planning and urban planning rules.

This article will focus in particular on planning tools in Belgium.

Planning tools in Belgium

We generally find three types of tools in these texts:

• Strategic plans: drawn up at various administrative levels, these tools set out the broad strategic lines of territorial development. They generally serve as a basis for drafting plans and regulations that will then be binding on anyone applying for a permit.
• Land-use plans: these maps define the zones allocated to different activities (housing, retail, offices, agriculture, protected areas, etc.). They define which activities may be established in a zone, in what proportions and under what conditions. The plans may apply to an entire region or cover only certain zones/neighborhoods, to which specific regulations apply. These plans (maps) are supplemented by texts specifying their legends, meanings and interpretations.
• Urban planning regulations: these texts specify the rules concerning construction, building volumes, architecture, parking rules, access for people with reduced mobility, etc. They define, for example, habitability standards such as ceiling height and minimum room size, as well as construction standards such as facade alignment and roof shape.

These tools are established at various administrative levels, often following a cascading principle: the region establishes a fairly generic text, setting out the broad principles, and the municipality drafts regulations that are more precise and apply to a smaller area. These tools can be found at regional, provincial, supra-municipal (several municipalities), municipal and infra-municipal (part of a municipality) level.

The information contained in these tools, being legal in nature, is closely tied to geographic and spatial aspects. It is therefore most often presented through online mapping interfaces. This guide explains where to find the main information on sites such as WalOnMap, BruGIS or plannen.omgeving.vlaanderen.

This article aims to help you easily find the urban planning information you need, and in particular to answer the following questions:

• Where can you find the Sector Plan for Wallonia? (PDS)
• Where can you find the Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS) for Brussels?
• Where can you find the Gewestelijk Ruimtelijk Uitvoeringsplan for the Flemish Region (GRUP)?
• What is the equivalent of the Sector Plan in Brussels and Flanders?
• What is the equivalent of the Regional Land-Use Plan in Wallonia and Flanders?
• What is the equivalent of the CoDT in Brussels and Flanders? Where can you find the CoDT?
• What is the equivalent of the RRU in Wallonia and Flanders? Where can you find the RRU?

In Wallonia

The legal basis for urban planning in Wallonia is the Code du Développement Territorial (CoDT – Territorial Development Code).

“the territory of Wallonia is a common heritage of its inhabitants. The objective of the Territorial Development Code, hereinafter “the Code”, is to ensure sustainable and attractive development of the territory.”

This document aims to establish general rules, such as the deadlines to which permit-issuing authorities are bound, the works that are or are not subject to a permit, etc. Conversely, the CoDT does not, for example, define the maximum permissible height for a building, nor the buildable zones.

This legal basis also defines a list of spatial and urban planning tools, which we will look at next.

The schemes

Schemes are tools for planning and managing land use. They aim to organize and guide territorial development in a coherent and sustainable way,

taking long-term economic, social, environmental and spatial issues into account.

These schemes are drawn up at 4 scales:

• The Territorial Development Scheme (SDT) at regional level
• The Multi-Municipal Development Scheme (SDPC) at the level of several municipalities (in whole or in part)
• The Municipal Development Scheme (SDC) for the entire municipal territory
• The Local Orientation Scheme (SOL) for part of the municipal territory

The Territorial Development Scheme (SDT)

A Territorial Development Scheme (SDT) is a regional strategy that defines the development and planning objectives for a specific region, in this case Wallonia. It is drawn up on the basis of an in-depth contextual analysis, taking into account major territorial issues, social, economic, demographic, energy-related, heritage and environmental needs and prospects, as well as mobility needs, and the territory’s potential and constraints.

The Municipal or Multi-Municipal Development Scheme (SDC or SDPC)

The Municipal Development Scheme is a planning tool used by a municipality to define its territorial development strategy. It can also be drawn up jointly by several municipalities, in which case it is called a “Multi-Municipal Development Scheme”.

This document identifies the main challenges, objectives and actions to be undertaken in order to promote the economic, social, environmental and urban development of the municipality. It takes into account the municipality’s specific characteristics and proposes concrete measures to improve residents’ quality of life, promote the rational use of resources, strengthen infrastructure and services, and manage mobility issues effectively.

The Municipal Development Scheme thus serves as a roadmap to guide the municipality’s planning and urban development decisions with a view to achieving harmonious and sustainable development. However, this document is not directly useful to a project developer. It is used mainly as an internal document within municipal administrations.

The Local Orientation Scheme (SOL)

The Local Orientation Scheme (SOL) is a planning tool used to determine spatial and urban planning objectives for a specific part of a municipal territory.

Based on a contextual analysis including the main issues, potential and constraints of the territory, the SOL includes spatial and urban planning objectives, as well as a detailed orientation map.

This map includes elements such as the road network, technical infrastructure, public spaces, green spaces, land-use zones, the ecological structure and, where applicable, the landscape’s key features. The SOL can also provide guidance on the siting and height of buildings and structures, roads, public spaces and the integration of technical facilities. In addition, it can identify other SOLs and the municipal guide to be drawn up, revised or repealed. The SOL thus provides a guiding framework for planning and urban development in a specific area, promoting a coherent and sustainable use of space.

The land-use plan

The Sector Plan

The Sector Plan is a document that sets land use in the Walloon Region. It defines the various planning sectors that will be covered by a plan. Certain specific infrastructure, such as rail, airport and autonomous port infrastructure, is not covered by this plan.

The Sector Plan is inspired by the territorial development scheme, but may depart from it under certain conditions. It aims to protect, manage and plan landscapes, both built and unbuilt. It

applies to various development schemes, permits and urban planning certificates. Additional requirements may also be added, such as the precision or specialization of zone allocations, the phasing of their use, the reversibility of allocations, or the obligation to draw up a local orientation scheme before implementation.

Sector Plan land uses can be divided into two groups:

• Zones intended for urbanization: these include residential zones, public service zones, recreational zones, economic activity zones, regional development zones and municipal development zones.
• Zones not intended for urbanization: these include agricultural, forestry, green space, natural, park and extraction zones.

You can find the Sector Plan on WalOnMap, by following this link: https://geoportail.wallonie.be/walonmap#panier=[{« serviceId »: »7fe2f305-1302-4297-b67e-792f55acd834″, »visible »: true, »url »: »https://geoservices.wallonie.be/arcgis/rest/services/AMENAGEMENT_TERRITOIRE/PDS/MapServer », »label »: »Plan de secteur en vigueur (version coordonnée vectorielle) », »type »: »AGS_DYNAMIC »}]

✅ What is WalOnMap? WalOnMap is an application developed by the Public Service of Wallonia that allows users to display public geographic data on a map of the Walloon territory, while offering zoom, location, base map selection and access to a variety of geographic information across different fields.

The tool thus makes it possible to identify a parcel based on an address, to find out its land use (agricultural zone, residential zone, etc.), any specific urban planning requirements that may apply, and to study any associated risks (flooding, landslides, etc.).

✅ Pro tip: you can change the layer’s opacity to better perceive the boundaries of the Sector Plan. This will allow you, based on the satellite view and your knowledge of the location, to better perceive the boundaries of the Sector Plan relative to the real world. To change the layer’s opacity:

• Click the gear icon on the left, next to your selection
• Move the slider to about 50%, which will make the Sector Plan partially transparent and let the satellite view underneath show through
• You can also display the legend by clicking the “Legend” button in the same menu. (link to the full legend document)

Real estate professionals often refer to a “red zone”, corresponding to a zone whose primary function is residential (residential zone) and where residential development projects can therefore be carried out, for example.

The regulations

Urban planning regulations are called “Guides” in Wallonia and are available on the DGO4 website. These include, among others, the following documents:

• The Regional Urban Planning Guide (GRU)
• The Municipal Urban Planning Guides (GCU)

We will cover the main useful sources of information below.

The Regional Urban Planning Guide (GRU)

The Regional Urban Planning Guide provides guidelines for drafting municipal urban planning guides. Here, for example, is an excerpt from the GRU: “c) Facade materials. Permitted materials shall be those whose tones are similar to those of traditional materials. d) Gables, side facades and rear facades. The materials permitted for walls, gables, side facades and rear facades must be in harmony with those of the street-facing facades.”

The Municipal Urban Planning Guide (GCU)

Issued at municipal level, this guide defines the applicable urban planning requirements and is intended to be the local implementation of the Regional Urban Planning Guide.

You will most often find this document on the municipality’s website. It is the reference document for sketching out a real estate project.

But then, what is the equivalent of the Sector Plan in Brussels? What is the equivalent of the CoDT in the Brussels-Capital Region? That’s what we’ll look at below.

In the Brussels-Capital Region

The legal basis for urban planning in the Brussels-Capital Region is the Brussels Code for Spatial Planning (CoBAT). As such, the CoBAT governs the main mechanisms of spatial planning in Brussels:

• Planning (strategic development plans, land-use plans, etc.)
• Urban planning regulations (RRU, RCU)
• Permit applications (which works are or are not subject to a permit, competent authorities, deadlines, avenues of appeal, etc.)
• Heritage protection
• The right of pre-emption (a right of pre-emption is a legal or contractual right granted to certain private or public persons to acquire a property in priority over any other person, when the owner expresses their intention to sell it)
• Urban planning information (the urban planning context of a specific property, which must be obtained for any real estate sale)

The strategic plans

Strategic plans are documents that define and set out the strategy to be followed in order to achieve specific objectives. These objectives are generally related to spatial planning. Strategic plans set out the broad directions to be followed and become the fundamental principles of territorial planning.

It is important to note that, in most cases, strategic plans have an indicative (non-binding) value. The main regional development plans currently in force in Brussels are discussed below.

The Regional Development Plan (PRD)

The Regional Development Plan (PRD) sets the Region’s development objectives and priorities, based on economic, social, environmental and mobility needs.

In 2009, the PRD was supplemented with a second “D” for “durable” (sustainable), symbolizing the Region’s commitment to addressing the major challenges of the century in terms of the environment and sustainable development.

The Municipal Development Plans (PCD)

Municipal Development Plans (PCD) cover the entire municipal territory and serve as overall planning tools for the sustainable development of municipalities. They are aligned with the PRD’s guidelines and comply with the Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS), another regional development plan.

It is an overall planning tool for municipal development. It sets out the following points:

• General and specific objectives, as well as development priorities, including spatial planning, needed to address economic, social, cultural, mobility, accessibility and environmental needs;
• Cross-cutting and sector-specific measures to be put in place to achieve the defined objectives, notably through a cartographic representation of some of these measures;
• The identification of the municipality’s priority intervention zones;

The regulatory plans

Unlike strategic plans, planning documents with regulatory value determine the functions that may be established in the different zones of Brussels.

The Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS)

The Regional Land-Use Plan follows the guidelines of the Regional Development Plan (PRD) and determines the land uses of the Brussels-Capital Region’s territory and the rules that apply to them.

The Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS) defines, for example, a zone’s primary land use. A zone is defined by one or more blocks of parcels. The smallest graphic unit of the PRAS is the urban block.

The PRAS is in fact a tool made up of maps (plans) and written requirements (texts) that together form a whole:

• 6 maps:
  • The existing de facto situation (indicative value): this is the situation of land uses as it actually stands today.
  • The existing de jure situation (indicative value): this is the set of provisions that apply to the zone in terms of urban planning, heritage and the environment. This map defines certain specific zones but does not cover the entire regional territory.
  • The land-use map: regulatory value. This is the equivalent of the Sector Plan in Wallonia. This map defines the permitted uses by zone (housing, retail, green spaces, offices, etc.)
  • The map of admissible office space balances (CaSBA): regulatory value; this map, made up of 132 grid cells, indicates the remaining m² of admissible office space and thus shows whether a change of use is possible.
  • The road map: regulatory value. It indicates roads and motorways within the Brussels perimeter.
  • The public transport map: regulatory value; it shows the structure of the public transport network, both underground and at the surface.
• Written requirements:
  • General requirements applicable to all zones. Except where otherwise stated, general requirements apply to all PRAS zones.
  • Specific requirements applicable to the different zones on the land-use map (housing, retail, facilities, green spaces, etc.).
  • Specific requirements applicable to roads and public transport.
  • The program for Regional Development Priority Zones (ZIR) and Regional Development Priority Zones with Deferred Development (ZIRAD).

✅ It is important to note that zones are not always mutually exclusive. This means that a parcel may, for example, be classified as both a Residential Zone AND a Zone of Cultural, Historical, Aesthetic or Beautification Interest, one not excluding the other.

The Master Land-Use Plan (PAD)

The Master Land-Use Plan (PAD) is unique in that it allows the strategic and regulatory aspects of a development strategy to be defined at the same time. Like the PRAS, the PAD is defined at regional level.

The regulatory component of this plan determines:

• The land uses (offices, retail, housing) and the surface areas that must be allocated to them
• The overall structure (general layout) of public spaces (roads, landscaping, etc.)
• The characteristics of buildings
• The organization of mobility and parking
• Heritage protection

The Specific Land-Use Plan (PPAS)

The Specific Land-Use Plan (PPAS) serves to refine and supplement the Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS). It complies with the guidelines set out in the Municipal Development Plan (PCD) and establishes detailed land uses for the various zones. It regulates land use by delineating buildable zones and green zones, along with the rules associated with them. In addition, it may contain other provisions such as:

• Guidance on the location, dimensions and aesthetic appearance of buildings and their surroundings.
• The layout and planning measures for roads, as well as the regulations associated with them.

You can find these plans on the BruGIS platform: https://gis.urban.brussels/brugis/#/

The regulations

The Regional Urban Planning Regulation (RRU)

The Regional Urban Planning Regulation is made up of 8 chapters (called “Titles”), which define very specific aspects of buildings and their surroundings:

• Title I: characteristics of buildings and their surroundings
• Title II: habitability standards for dwellings
• Title III: construction sites, title partially repealed – see the coordinated version of Title III currently in force
• Title IV: accessibility of buildings for people with reduced mobility
• Title V: thermal insulation of buildings, title fully repealed
• Title VI: advertising and signage
• Title VII: roads, their access points and their surroundings
• Title VIII: off-street parking standards

Title I, for example, explains concepts such as alignment and boundary lines. These concepts define the building’s external visual characteristics.

Title II defines habitability standards in terms of ceiling height and minimum living area.

The Municipal Urban Planning Regulation (RCU)

Municipal Urban Planning Regulations set out additional rules on top of the RRU. Depending on the municipality, these regulations may cover buildings, the placement of satellite dishes, and sidewalks, and may apply to the entire municipality or only part of it.

Some municipalities make their RCU freely accessible on the urbanisme.irisnet website or on their own website, while for others, you need to go to the municipal administration to obtain the information.

We have covered the Sector Plan (Wallonia) and the Regional Land-Use Plan (Brussels), but what is the equivalent in Flanders? What is the associated regulation called, and where can this information be found? That’s what we’ll look at below.

In Flanders

In Flanders, the legal basis for spatial planning is the Vlaamse Codex Ruimtelijke Ordening (VCRO). In Flanders, unlike the other regions, this strategic vision is also carried out at provincial level.

The strategic plans

Regional level – Beleidsplan Ruimte Vlaanderen (BRV)

The Flemish spatial policy plan, the Beleidsplan Ruimte Vlaanderen, guides spatial planning at regional level but does not contain strict objectives for the other levels of planning.

Provincial level – Provinciaal Beleidsplan Ruimte (PBR)

The Provinciaal Beleidsplan Ruimte (Provincial Spatial Policy Plan) is a planning document drawn up at provincial level in Belgium. It is designed to guide spatial planning and development within a specific province. The plan is drawn up by the provincial administration in consultation with local stakeholders, such as municipalities, civil society organizations and citizens.

The Provinciaal Beleidsplan Ruimte aims to define the broad directions and policies for spatial planning at provincial level. It is a strategic document that takes into account regional specificities, local needs, and environmental, economic and social issues.

The Provincial Plan likewise does not contain strict objectives for the other levels of planning.

Municipal level – Gemeentelijk (or intergemeentelijk) Beleidsplan Ruimte (GBR)

The Gemeentelijk Beleidsplan Ruimte (Municipal Spatial Policy Plan) is a planning document drawn up at municipal level in Belgium. It is designed to guide spatial planning and development within a specific municipality. The plan is drawn up by the municipal administration in consultation with local stakeholders, such as citizens, local associations and urban planning experts.

The implementation plans

Implementation plans are the equivalent of the Sector Plan – PDS (Wallonia) or the Regional Land-Use Plan – PRAS (Brussels). These plans notably contain the following elements:

• A description and justification of the plan’s objectives
• A plan (map), indicating the zone(s) to which the plan applies
• The urban planning regulations that apply regarding land use, layout, management and habitability standards (if applicable)
• A representation of the legal situation
• A representation of the actual situation: an inventory of the environment, nature and other relevant factual data

Regional level – Gewestelijke Ruimtelijke Uitvoeringsplannen (GRUP)

A spatial implementation plan implements a spatial structure plan (strategic plan).

It has regulatory value for all government decisions and provides, among other things, for the parcels covered by the plan:

• which activities may take place,
• where construction may or may not take place, and which urban planning regulations houses and buildings must comply with in a given zone:

Provinces and municipalities also draw up implementation plans. That’s what we’ll look at below.

Provincial level – Provinciale Ruimtelijke Uitvoeringsplannen (PRUP)

The requirements of provincial planning plans may not depart from the requirements of the regional planning plan, unless the Flemish Government grants its authorization.

Municipal level – Gemeentelijke Ruimtelijke Uitvoeringsplannen (GRUP)

The rules set out in local land-use plans may not conflict with the rules of provincial and regional land-use plans, unless approval is granted by the provincial council or the Flemish Government, respectively.

In conclusion, the plan at municipal level is enough to understand which activities are possible in a given zone, since local requirements cannot contradict provincial or regional requirements.

You can find these plans on the Geoplannen website, by following this link: https://geoplannen.omgeving.vlaanderen.be/roviewer/?t=21&m=1&category=2.

Urban planning regulations

These regulations aim to guarantee quality of life, safety, aesthetics and sustainability in construction, as well as to regulate spatial planning and mobility at each corresponding administrative level (regional, provincial, municipal).

Each regulation must comply with the regulation at the higher level (Regional > Provincial > Municipal).

You will find all these regulations in the digital directory of urban planning regulations for the Flemish Region: https://dsi.omgeving.vlaanderen.be/fiche-overzicht.

We have now covered the land-use plans and regulations for each of the regions. Let’s finish with a summary table giving you an overview of the plans and regulations applicable by region, along with the sites where you can find them.

Summary table

Type of document	Objective	Walloon Region	Brussels-Capital Region	Flemish Region
Code	Define the rules of territorial development	Code du Développement Territorial (CoDT)	Brussels Code for Spatial Planning (CoBAT)	Vlaamse Codex Ruimtelijke Ordening (VCRO)
Regional strategic plan	Define strategic planning objectives at regional level	Territorial Development Scheme (SDT)	Regional Development Plan (PRD)	Beleidsplan Ruimte Vlaanderen (BRV)
Provincial strategic plan	Define strategic planning objectives at provincial level	–	–	Provinciaal Beleidsplan Ruimte (PBR)
Local strategic plans	Define strategic planning objectives at municipal level	Municipal Development Scheme (SDC) & Local Orientation Scheme (SOL)	Municipal Development Plans (PCD)	Gemeentelijk Beleidsplan Ruimte (GBR)
Regional land-use plan	Zoning of possible land uses	Sector Plan (PDS)	Regional Land-Use Plan (PRAS) and Specific Land-Use Plan (PPAS)	Gewestelijk Ruimtelijk Uitvoeringsplan (GRUP)
Regional urban planning regulation	Regulation guiding the drafting of municipal regulations	Regional Urban Planning Guide (GRU)	Regional Urban Planning Regulation (RRU)	Gewestelijk Ruimtelijk Uitvoeringsplan (GRUP)
Municipal urban planning regulations	Regulation defining urban planning rules at local level	Municipal Urban Planning Guide (GCU)	Municipal Urban Planning Regulations (RCU)	Gemeentelijk Ruimtelijk Uitvoeringsplan (GRUP)
Correspondence table of planning/urban planning tools by Region