Transforming the former Renault site in Vilvoorde into an innovative urban development hub

After the car maker Renault closed its Vilvoorde plant in 1997, the iconic, prime location just under 1.5 kilometres in length and covering an area of 19 hectares gradually started to revive. Recently, the Belgian real estate group WDP - Warehouses with brains bought the site. WDP is determined to use its many years of experience to maximise the potential of this piece of industrial heritage in phases and in close consultation with the city of Vilvoorde.

Compared to other locations, this particular site does in fact possess a number of factors in its favour. First of all, very few areas of land of that size are available in the region. It is also strategically located on the edge of the Brussels-Capital Region and would therefore be excellent as a multimodal hub capable of ensuring a smart and sustainable flow of goods. All major traffic infrastructure is just a stone's throw away: the Brussels ring road, the E19 motorway, Brussels International Airport in Zaventem and its freight division Brucargo, main railway lines and the port and city centre of Brussels.

WDP envisions a mixed-use urban project with a variety of possible uses, most notably as a base for multiple smaller, innovative, 21st-century logistical and industrial players, alongside the typical functions encountered in urban areas, such as schools, retail and entertainment. Care for the environment and a customer-focused approach will however be key in all cases.