Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Sint-Niklaas planted 120 trees on the Grote Markt, Flanders’ largest square. Alderman Carl Hanssens confirmed the central lawn and greenery will be finished by early December 2025, with new planting barriers installed.
As VRT News reported, last week, Sint-Niklaas took a major step in the renovation of its Grote Markt. All the trees planned for the square were planted. The city planted 120 trees across the square. The central lawn is not ready yet.
City officials said it must be levelled and prepared before it can be used in the spring. Even with protective mats, it will take about 6 weeks before anyone can walk on the grass. The city plans to have all the greenery finished by early December 2025.
“What’s striking is that we’ve also installed planting barriers. This is to prevent people from driving into the square and damaging the plants with their wheels,”
says Carl Hanssens (N-VA), Alderman for Urban Renewal.
What’s next for Sint-Niklaas’ Grote Markt after 120 trees were planted?
The trees and the future lawn are part of a wider plan to make the Grote Markt both inviting and functional.
“We won’t be seeding grass; we’ll be laying turf right away at the end of November,”
says Alderman Hanssens.
“The second elevator to and from the underground car park has now also been approved, and people can start using it,”
Hanssens added.
The Grote Markt is the largest market square in Flanders. The main work on the square was finished during the summer. This included new paving, wider pedestrian areas, and updated infrastructure. The green spaces were not planted until now. The city waited until the busy season of events was over. They wanted to protect the trees from damage during festivals, markets, and other public gatherings.
The renovation of the Grote Markt in Sint‑Niklaas began on 13 May 2024. The project was done in stages, starting with the park lanes and underground parking. Work on the central square and surrounding façades continued into early 2025.
