Bois de la Cambre soon to be cleared of its concrete blocks

By summer, the concrete blocks and boulders installed in the Bois de la Cambre must disappear or be replaced. The City of Brussels has been issued a formal notice by the State Secretary for Urban Planning, Audrey Henry, to regularise these installations placed without authorisation over the years. Listed for its landscape value, the Bois de la Cambre is an iconic place for Brussels residents. Yet over time, temporary devices (concrete blocks and boulders) have multiplied there, without any overall vision. For regional authorities, this accumulation harms the quality of the site and does not comply with planning rules. Securing without disfiguring These installations often served a practical purpose: slowing traffic, protecting walkers or separating uses between cars, bikes and pedestrians. In the Bois de la Cambre, users constantly cross paths: families, joggers, cyclists, walkers… But for the Region, safety cannot justify just any kind of arrangement. In this green lung, every intervention must blend harmoniously into the landscape. The challenge is therefore to find solutions that are effective, but also aesthetically pleasing and respectful of the site. Regularisation expected by summer The City of Brussels has committed to sorting out this matter in the coming months. Following a constructive meeting between the municipality and the Region, a timetable has been set: the temporary devices will be replaced with compliant arrangements, with the necessary permit applications to be submitted before summer. The safety of all must be preserved while restoring the Bois de la Cambre's natural character and landscape harmony. A problem beyond the Bois de la Cambre The phenomenon is not limited to the Bois de la Cambre. Across Brussels, concrete blocks have sprung up in recent years on pavements, public squares and roads. Often installed in a hurry, these temporary fixtures have sometimes settled permanently into the urban landscape. In light of this, the administration has been asked to draw up a regional inventory of these devices. The idea is to remove those that are not strictly necessary and rethink their use across the whole Region. Restoring coherence to public space For Audrey Henry, the message is simple: public authorities must follow the same rules as citizens. "Respecting planning rules is not optional. They exist to guarantee the coherence of our living environment and equal treatment for all. When a citizen has to apply for a permit to alter their façade, it is only right that public authorities also follow the rules. The meeting helped clarify the situation and set a timetable for regularising it. This will involve submitting planning permit applications before summer. Solutions exist, but concrete blocks are not among them," recalls State Secretary Audrey Henry.