Are you interested in urban planning and land use planning in the Walloon Region? This article aims to help you understand land use planning in Wallonia and provide you with essential resources and acronyms to study the feasibility of a project.
You will find a summary diagram at the end of this article.
Land use planning and urban planning are two related concepts, but distinct 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 transportation, the environment, public facilities, and the preservation of natural spaces.
- Urban planning focuses on the organization and management of urban spaces, whether already urbanized or intended to be. It studies the location of buildings, the organization of neighborhoods, public spaces, and urban infrastructure, with the aim of creating functional and aesthetic urban environments adapted to the needs of residents. It takes into account factors such as population density, mobility, architecture, accessibility, and urban aesthetics.
Urban planning and land use planning is a regional responsibility. As such, each region has its own legal framework, a code (CoDT, CoBAT, VCRO) defining the organization of this responsibility and its procedures. These texts specify the following elements in particular:
- actions subject to permits (example: do you have to apply for a permit to build a swimming pool?)
- the competent authorities (example: which authority will decide on this type of act, who draws up which plan, etc.)
- remedies
- planning tools: these are all the tools that enable strategies to be established and planning and urban development rules to be defined.
This article will focus particularly on planning tools in Wallonia.
The legal basis: the CoDT
The legal basis for urban planning in Wallonia is the Territorial Development Code (CoDT) :
“The territory of Wallonia is a common heritage of its inhabitants.
The objective of the Territorial Development Code, hereinafter "the Code", is to ensure a
sustainable and attractive development of the territory.”
This document aims to establish general rules such as the deadlines to which permit-issuing authorities are subject, the works which are or are not subject to permits, etc. Conversely, the CoDT does not define, for example, the maximum permissible height for a building, nor the constructible zones.
This legal basis also defines a list of land use and urban planning tools , which we will discuss shortly. These include diagrams, plans, and urban planning guides.
The diagrams
Plans are tools for planning and managing land use. They aim to organize and guide territorial development in a coherent and sustainable manner, taking into account long-term economic, social, environmental, and spatial issues.
These diagrams are developed at 4 scales:
| Scheme Name | Abbreviated | Ladder |
| Territorial Development Plan | SDT | Regional |
| Multi-municipal Development Plan | SD(P)C | Supracommunal |
| Municipal Development Plan | SDC | Communal |
| Local Orientation Plan | GROUND | Infracommunal |
The Territorial Development Plan (TDP)
A territorial development plan (TDP) is a regional strategy that defines the development and planning objectives for the entire Walloon Region. It is developed based on an in-depth contextual analysis, taking into account major territorial issues, social, economic, demographic, energy, heritage, environmental and mobility prospects and needs, as well as the territory's potential and constraints.
It is particularly in the SDT that the notions of urban sprawl and artificialization are addressed.
The Municipal or Multi-Municipal Development Plan (SDC or SDPC)
The Municipal Development Plan is a planning tool used by a municipality to define its territorial development strategy. It can also be developed jointly by several municipalities, in which case it is called a "Multi-Municipal Development Plan".
This document identifies the main challenges, objectives, and actions to be undertaken to promote the economic, social, environmental, and urban development of the municipality. It takes into account the specific characteristics of the municipality and proposes concrete measures to improve the quality of life of residents, promote the rational use of resources, strengthen infrastructure and services, and effectively manage mobility issues.
The Municipal Development Plan thus constitutes a roadmap to guide the municipality's development and urban planning decisions with the aim of achieving harmonious and sustainable development. However, this document is not directly useful to the project leader. It is used more as an internal document within municipal administrations.
The Local Orientation Plan (SOL)
The Local Orientation Plan (SOL) is a planning tool used to determine land use and urban planning objectives for a specific part of the municipal territory.
Based on a contextual analysis including the main issues, potential and constraints of the territory, the SOL includes land use 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, ecological structure, and possibly, the main features of the landscape. The SOL can also provide information on the location, height of buildings and structures, roads, public spaces and the integration of technical equipment. In addition, it can identify other SOLs and the municipal guide to be developed, revised or repealed. The SOL thus constitutes a guiding framework to guide development and urban planning in a specific area, promoting a coherent and sustainable use of space.
The allocation plan
The Sector Plan
Usefulness of the sector plan
The sector plan is a document that sets out regional planning in the Walloon Region. It defines the various development sectors that will be covered by a plan. Certain specific infrastructure, such as railways, airports, and autonomous ports, are not affected by this plan.
This land use plan is inspired by the territorial development plan, but may deviate from it under certain conditions. It aims to protect, manage and develop landscapes, both built and unbuilt.
It applies to various development plans, permits and planning certificates. Additional requirements may also be added, such as the precision or specialization of the allocation of zones, the phasing of their occupation, the reversibility of allocations or the obligation to develop a local orientation plan prior to their implementation.
The sector plan assignments can be divided into two groups:
- Areas intended for urbanization: these include residential areas, public service areas, recreational areas, economic activity areas, regional interest areas and municipal interest areas.
- Areas not intended for urbanization: these include agricultural, forestry, green space, natural, park and extraction areas.
How to read the sector plan and where to find it?
You can find the Sector Plan on WalOnMap
What is WalOnMap? WalOnMap is an application developed by the Walloon Public Service that allows users to display public geographic data on a map of Wallonia, while also offering zoom, location, background map selection, and access to a variety of geographic information in different areas.
The tool thus makes it possible to identify a plot based on an address, to know its allocation (agricultural zone, residential zone, etc.), the specific urban planning regulations which could apply and to study the possible associated risks (floods, landslides, etc.)
Tip: You can change the layer's opacity to better perceive the boundaries of the sector map. This will allow you, based on the satellite view and your knowledge of the location, to better perceive the boundaries of the sector map in relation to the real world. To change the layer's opacity:
– Click on the cogwheel on the left, at the level of your selection
– Change the slider to around 50%, this will make the sector map partially transparent and reveal the satellite view just below.
– You can also display the legend by clicking on the “Legend” button in the same menu. ( link to the full legends document )
The regulations
Urban planning regulations are called “Guides” in Wallonia and are available on the DGO4 website. These include, among other things, the following documents:
- The Regional Urban Planning Guide (GRU)
- Municipal Urban Planning Guides (GCU)
We will cover the main sources of useful information below.
The Regional Urban Planning Guide (GRU)
The regional urban planning guide provides guidelines regarding the harmony of buildings and standards for accessibility for people with reduced mobility.
Here are two examples from the GRU:
Gables, side facades and rear facades.
Regional Urban Planning Guide – Unofficial Coordination – May 31, 2017
Materials permitted for walls, gables, side facades and facades
rears must harmonize with those of the street facades.
The slopes:
Regional Urban Planning Guide – Unofficial Coordination – May 31, 2017
The cross slope or overhang is 2% maximum.
When a longitudinal slope is required, it is ideally less than or
equal to 5 centimeters per meter for a maximum length of 10 meters.
If it is technically impossible to use slopes less than or equal to
5%, the following slopes are exceptionally tolerated […]
The Municipal Urban Planning Guide (GCU)
Published at the municipal level, this guide defines the applicable urban planning requirements and is intended to be the local implementation of the Regional Urban Planning Guide. For example, it defines the morphology of buildings, the location of buildings, and the conditions for setbacks and alignment.
You will most often find this document on the municipal website. It is the reference document used to outline a real estate project.
Summary
In Wallonia, the Territorial Development Code governs land use planning and urban planning. This text defines general rules such as actions subject to permits, issuance deadlines, competent authorities, and planning tools.
Among these tools, the Plans define the broad strategic directions, based on the challenges of the territory concerned. These plans are implemented at the regional, supra-municipal, municipal, and infra-municipal levels. They are not mandatory for the applicant, but may impact the municipality's decision on whether or not to grant planning permission.
The Guides define rules to be respected in terms of urban planning. These include, for example, habitability standards (minimum surface area, ceiling height, etc.) or construction standards (geometry, distance from the road, alignment of facades, etc.). There is a Regional Guide that applies to all of Wallonia, as well as Municipal Guides that apply locally and specify the local implementation of certain rules.
Ultimately, it is the municipality that is the competent authority for granting planning permission . To do this, it studies the file by analyzing the conformity of the project with the Sector Plan, regional (GRU) and local (GCU) standards as well as alignment with strategic orientations (SDT, SDC, SOL).