Prior research… to avoid disappointment!

This may be difficult or impossible, depending on your project and its location. In particular, you should check that:

• it does not conflict with existing plans or regulations (PRAS, PAD, PPAS, RRU*, RCU, etc.);
• it is not in violation;
• the district is not opposed to it or the basic deed of the co-owned property or the building’s Internal Regulations do not prohibit it.

Please note: the project could be more complicated if the property is subject to heritage protection!

* attention being modified.

One informed person is worth two…

Be careful BEFORE signing a lease!

Check with the Municipality to see if your project requires a planning permit (PP) and/or a environmental permit (EP).

If you are “obliged” to sign, the insertion of suspensive clauses can protect you from sometimes significant costs.

What is the legal “planning” situation of a property?

This relates to all the PPs that have been issued and are still valid.

You can obtain initial information on the OpenPermits website but this database is incomplete.

Only the planning department of the municipality in which your project is located has reliable information.

Create, take over, transform… It all depends on your project!

After verifying the legal situation, you can assess whether a permit is required.

Transformations with or without work may require a PP.

It can take several months to obtain these permits, so it is important to get started as soon as possible!

A PP for work:

• On the exterior of your property: install a sign or sun canopy, install a chimney on the rear façade, change the windows, modify the appearance of the façade, etc.
• Inside the property: open up a load-bearing wall*, etc.

Exemptions are possible in some cases.

*Please note: the assistance of an architect will be mandatory for structural work.

Changes of purpose and use:

The purpose is the function defined by the PRAS (Regional Land Use Plan) for which the property is to be used.

Use is a “sub-category” of purpose and is the specific activity that is carried out in or on the property.

A permit is always required to change the purpose of a building, from an office to a business, for example.

For use, a permit will be required only in certain cases defined in the “Change of Use” Order*.

Always respect the regulations of the current land use plans, in particular the PRAS, from which no exemptions are allowed!

*Please note that this order is currently being revised and a new order is due to be issued in 2023.

What is an environnemental permit (EP) ?

The EP is authorisation to operate an activity that includes facilities that may have an impact on its environment in the broad sense; it involves classified facilities (e.g. bakery, butchery, chocolate maker or cold room).

A EP is required for:

• Machines and/or equipment: a boiler (>100kW), an oil tank (>3000l), a car park lot (>9 spaces), a cold room (>10kW and/or 5 T eq.CO2), etc.
• Activities: a mechanical workshop, butcher’s, fishmonger’s, bakery, metal or woodworking, operation of a party/events room, etc.
• Storage: storage of hazardous products, hazardous or non-hazardous waste, wood, etc.

The easy permit tool provides more information about classified installations by sector.

To find out the “environmental” law situation:

• Consult the map of environmental permits.
• Contact the Environmental Department of the municipality in which the property is located to obtain a copy of the permit.
• Contact the Archives Department of Brussels Environment to obtain a copy of the permit you are interested in.
• Always ask for the plans and read the permit conditions carefully!