Bilzen-Hoeselt (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Bilzen-Hoeselt will invest €99 million (2026–2031) in roads, sewers, Ganshof redevelopment (€16.3M), Vrisher Hermitage (€2.7M), Klokkenplein (€2.8M); Mayor Bruno Steegen leads plan, funding via staff savings and development tax.
As VRT News reported, Bilzen-Hoeselt will spend €99 million over the next 6 years on major city projects. The city council says nearly half of the budget, €43 million, will go to fixing roads and updating sewer systems.
“We’ll be catching up, especially in Hoeselt, because not all areas have separate sewer systems yet,”
explains Mayor Bruno Steegen (Team Mayor)
The work aims to make streets safer and prevent flooding. The old Ganshof hospital will be demolished. The city will spend €16.3 million to replace it with a new urban development.
“We’re conducting a study with the Flemish Architect,”
says Steegen.
“There’s a possibility of creating a new administrative centre on the Ganshof site. Currently, the city’s services are spread across seven different locations, which isn’t efficient.”
What is Bilzen-Hoeselt spending €99M on under Mayor Steegen’s plan?
This project will include housing and commercial spaces. The council also plans to restore heritage sites. The historic Vrisher Hermitage will get €2.7 million for renovation. The Klokkenplein square will be updated with €2.8 million to improve its appearance and accessibility.
A new city access road in Merem will be built for €2 million. Officials say it will improve traffic and make travel easier. The city will continue to pay annual pension costs of €500,000 for the AZ Vesalius Medical Centre. These payments cannot be used for other projects. City leaders say the plan balances modernising infrastructure, renewing key areas, and covering ongoing costs.
Bilzen-Hoeselt city council confirmed that the multi-year investment plan will not lead to higher taxes for residents. The city plans to fund most projects by cutting staff-related expenses.
“There will be no layoffs,”
assures Alderman Guy Sillen (Trots).
“But we won’t be replacing about 20 employees who are retiring in the next six years. By working more efficiently, including through automation via artificial intelligence, we could save €4.5 million.”
Officials say this will allow the municipality to pay for major projects without adding extra costs to citizens. The council also plans to introduce a tax on large-scale development projects. The money collected will be used for the maintenance of parks and green spaces.
The full investment and funding plan will be discussed at the city council meeting on Tuesday, 16, 2025. Leaders will review priorities, project timelines, and the impact on both the community and developers.
Bilzen-Hoeselt was formed on January 1, 2025, when the former municipalities of Bilzen and Hoeselt officially merged into a single municipality in the province of Limburg. The merger followed a decision by both municipal councils on June 28, 2021, to join forces and create a new administrative entity, and it took effect after the municipal elections on October 13, 2024.
Residents chose the name “Bilzen-Hoeselt” in an online vote, and the new municipality covers about 106 km² with roughly 42,000 inhabitants. This merger was part of a wider wave of municipal consolidations across Belgium in late 2024 and early 2025 that changed local government boundaries.
