Antwerp (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Antwerp completed a 1.5-year study for the Stuivenberg site redevelopment. Alderman Patrick Janssens announced plans to demolish 35,000 m², add 30,000 m² of gardens, and restore historic pavilions. The city is investing approximately £200m.
As VRT News reported, the city of Antwerp has completed a 1.5-year study for the redevelopment of the Stuivenberg site. The research examined how the former hospital grounds could be renewed for public use. In its place, an underground parking garage will be built to improve.
What are Antwerp’s £200m plans for the historic Stuivenberg site?
The old 19th-century pavilions of the hospital will be restored and included in the new layout. These historic buildings will be given new purposes while keeping their original structure. The plan also provides more public and green spaces.
“After 130 years as a hospital, the Stuivenberg site is entering a new chapter. The redevelopment of the site is the largest urban renewal project to be launched during this legislative term,”
says Alderman for Urban Development Patrick lanssens (Vooruit).
“About 30,000 square meters of public gardens will be added, the equivalent of a small city park.”
Patrick Jansens (Vooruit), Antwerp Alderman for Urban Development
“A total of approximately 35,000 square metres (almost 5 football fields) of buildings will disappear, and in their place will be created space for breathing and meeting.”
“Around 30,000 square meters of public gardens will be added, the equivalent of a small city park. The remaining buildings will be given a new purpose, revitalising the neighbourhood with spaces where healthcare, creativity, education, and social interaction converge.”
The city of Antwerp is exploring several options for the redevelopment of the Stuivenberg site. Plans include moving different municipal services to the area, such as the Antwerp Nursing School (AG SO), social centres, the Employment and Activation department, and childcare facilities.
City officials said that external public partners, including the Flemish Architecture Institute. A small part of the site could be used for commercial purposes. In the evenings, on weekends and during holidays, the shared rooms and multipurpose halls will be available for use by neighbourhood, youth and cultural groups.
Some of the buildings will continue to be used temporarily. Several organisations are already active on the site, while other spaces remain available for new users. AG Vespa will organise a neighbourhood meeting in December 2025 to present the plans and gather local feedback. Residents living nearby will receive invitations to take part and share their views on the development of the shared areas.
The Stuivenberg Hospital site in Antwerp has been an important part of the city since 1873. The hospital was built in a 19th-century pavilion style and served residents of the Seefhoek district for almost 150 years.
In 2022, its medical services moved to the new ZNA Cadix campus, opening the way for redevelopment of the old site. Over the past year and a half, the city completed a feasibility study to decide its future use. The plan includes keeping the historic pavilions, demolishing newer 1980s buildings.
