Brownfields

Remediation and redevelopment of 't Eilandje in Zwijnaarde (Belgium)

This project involved the redevelopment of a vacated industrial site into a business estate with access to the port. The site is strategically located at the intersection of two motorways (E40 and E17).

Fasiver is a 42 hectare historic black spot that contained over 175,000 m³ of contaminated viscous sludge. The site needed remediation before further use of the site was possible. To give the project adequate financial strength, CVBA Fasiver was created as a public/private partnership with the Flemish environmental holding, the province of East Flanders, the city of Ghent, DEC NV and Domo Service Gent NV.

The project comprises three stages: remediation, use of the premises as a sediment-processing centre and the final rezoning.

There was (and is) an urgent need in the region of Ghent for processing and storage capacity for dredgings from the navigable waterways. By processing and storing dredgings, the ground can be raised and a development platform created for use by technological companies and small and medium-sized businesses.

The remediated black spot was zoned as a green buffer zone, while a broad green strip was constructed along the water as a path for walking and cycling.

Master plan

A master plan was drafted for the redevelopment of this area, which included the following points:

• Creating a viewpoint on landscape and nature, business estate, accessibility and recreational co-use
• Research into the economical feasibility with selection of possible target groups of businesses to establish themselves there
• Drafting urban planning design including plot configuration, planning elements and park management

The planning instructions from this master plan were adopted in the GRUP "Big-city Ghent”. A key portion of the site located along the Zwijnaarde canal will be redeveloped as water-linked industry.

Once the premises are delivered by Fasiver, the site must still be made ready for construction with the installation of roads and public utilities. The mater plan provides for opening up the site with a direct connection to the R4 ring road. Extending the R4 towards Merelbeke was included by the Road Management Administration in the long-term plan for 2005 – 2009 (target outlook for R4-west), with a connection to the Fasiver site planned for 2008.