Spatial Policy Plan for Middelkerke
A municipality is constantly evolving. Changing housing needs, climate change, tourism, mobility trends and the transition towards a sustainable economy all require carefully considered decisions about how available space is used.
In Middelkerke, the existing spatial structure plan no longer reflected the municipality’s current ambitions. A new policy plan, combining an overarching strategic vision with a policy framework for high-rise development and strategic densification, was needed to guide the municipality’s spatial development over the next twenty years.
- Client
- Municipality of Middelkerke
- Location
- Middelkerke, Belgium
- Sweco scope
- Spatial planning and urban development
A spatial vision that looks beyond today
For Sweco, a spatial policy plan is much more than a document. It provides the foundation for all future spatial planning decisions within a municipality.
Together with the local authority, our experts develop a tailored, integrated vision that brings together housing, employment, nature, mobility and climate. We consider not only the municipality’s specific development ambitions, but also how Middelkerke can remain an attractive and sustainable place to live and visit in the long term.
“A municipality may initially ask for a solution for a number of major projects. Our role is to translate these into a much broader spatial vision, creating sufficient room for green space, depaving, climate adaptation and a higher quality of life.”
Densifying where it creates quality
Middelkerke is a coastal municipality where residential life, recreation and tourism are closely interconnected. The challenge was to enable future development without compromising the quality of the living environment.
The policy plan therefore introduces a framework for strategic densification and high-rise development in carefully selected locations. This allows the municipality to grow in a high-quality way, while protecting the open polder landscape as much as possible and creating more attractive and climate-resilient public spaces.
A partner throughout a complex process
Developing a spatial policy plan is an intensive process that takes several years and brings together spatial, societal and administrative interests.
The process in Middelkerke also took place within a challenging political context. It is precisely in complex processes like these that an experienced partner can make a real difference. Sweco supported the municipality throughout the entire process, continued to provide strategic and substantive direction, and worked with all stakeholders towards a broadly supported final result.
“This is not the kind of assignment that many consultancies are eager to take on. The fact that we were able to support the municipality throughout the entire process and successfully complete the spatial policy plan is perhaps the achievement we are most proud of.”
From vision to implementation
Today, the Spatial Policy Plan provides the strategic framework for Middelkerke’s future development. It forms the basis for new spatial implementation plans (RUPs), area development initiatives and investment projects.
Because Sweco not only developed the policy plan but is also involved in the further development of several RUPs, we ensure continuity between vision and implementation. In this way, we help the municipality translate its spatial ambitions step by step into concrete projects that contribute to an attractive, liveable and future-proof coastal municipality.