The approved plan designates space for nature, housing, the Kleine Nete river, a new hospital campus, and the historic city walls, transforming Bruggenbeemd into a versatile link between the city center and the green periphery.
The area, situated between Herentals' city center and the Rik Van Looylaan, is bisected by the Kleine Nete. Originally partly zoned for housing, the plan now reflects a shift away from full development. The PRUP emphasizes water and nature, with spontaneous vegetation along the riverbanks. The area holds cultural-historical significance, including a protected village and cityscape with the Kattenberg, a remnant of the former earth city walls, and the site of the Oud Gasthuis.
Bruggenbeemd's location is also advantageous for urban functions, bordering the city center and the train station, and hosting the well-functioning AZ Herentals hospital. The plan aims to create a natural connection between urban functions (housing, public facilities) and nature, water, and heritage landscapes.
Deputy Luk Lemmens highlighted the changing times and the need for diverse functions beyond just housing. The PRUP allocates more space to the Kleine Nete, creates room for nature and landscape to manage potential waterlogging, and facilitates a new campus for AZ Herentals near the station. Heritage will also play a more prominent role.
The Province of Antwerp and the City of Herentals have defined five objectives for Bruggenbeemd, all addressed by the PRUP. Space is being managed thoughtfully by integrating various functions. For instance, the Rik Van Looylaan will partly be built on a low bridge to allow the river and nature to flow undisturbed underneath. A lost section of the city walls will be recreated and serve a dual purpose as a flood control dike, accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.
In addition to housing, Bruggenbeemd will now include park, nature, and public facility zones, divided into seven areas. Specific regulations will detail future development for each zone, ensuring the area meets current and future needs.
Mayor Jan Bertels stated that the PRUP aims to mitigate water overflow by re-meandering the Kleine Nete and establishing a flood zone. The plan also offers opportunities to reconstruct the vanished historic city ramparts and provide a new campus site for AZ Sint-Elisabeth, which cannot expand at its current location, marking it as a crucial urban development project for Herentals.
This project is the culmination of over ten years of work, developed in close consultation with the City of Herentals. Alderman Pascal Van Nueten described it as an ambitious plan reconciling various spatial challenges, strengthening the city's quality of life and resilience for the future through collaboration.
Public consultations in spring 2022 and a public inquiry in spring 2026 allowed for input from the public and various agencies. This process resulted in 14 objections and 2 recommendations, which were thoroughly examined by the provincial spatial planning commission (Procoro), leading to refinements in the final PRUP and its environmental impact assessment.
