Knokke-Heist (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Beverly Screens operated its last screening four years ago, but the site could not receive a change of plans. The real estate company Bouwgroep Versluys wants to build 26 apartments, which include two ground-floor commercial spaces. The authorities will finalise their decision about the project in early May.
Beverly Screens has been out of business for four years as the sole East Coast cinema within Knokke-Heist, but plans to revamp the site are currently being considered. Bouwgroep Versluys seeks an environmental permit to develop 26 apartments combined with two ground-floor stores.
The local governing body will render its decision about this proposal before early May.
The cultural landmark brought fame to Jean-Claude Van Damme and others as they visited before Versluys purchased the facility from its permanent closure in 2021.
“The application has been declared admissible”,
according to mayor Cathy Coudyser (Inzicht). A public inquiry has been underway since March 17. This will continue until April 18.
Bouwgroep Versluys proposed a mixed-use project that includes 26 residential units together with two commercial areas for the designated site. The application received approval, thus starting a public inquiry that ran until April 18.
The proposed project obtained approval from Mayor Cathy Coudyser (Inzicht) because it matches existing neighbourhood building scales and rejects high-rise structures or non-traditional designs.
Public opinions undergo examination by the municipal environmental officer, who reports to the board of aldermen for their final vote. Since the cinema shut down, the site, together with Scoop Dance Hall, has stayed empty. A successful approval will activate the Kongostraat and Leopoldstraat areas through development action.
The project does not include high-rise buildings or other special features and is in line with buildings in the immediate vicinity in terms of volume and number of floors.
“We have to let the usual procedures run now, because objections may still be received,”
says Coudyser.
“I cannot make any statements about the project itself. Our municipal environmental officer must formulate advice after the public inquiry, and then the board of aldermen will make the decision.”
What is the historical and statistical context of Knokke-Heist’s cinema and real estate trends?
The Belgian coastal municipality Knokke-Heist has experienced declining movie theater attendance throughout the last twenty years, which matches national inclines.
The Belgian Federal Public Economy Service indicates that the number of operating cinemas decreased from 454 to 314 between 2000 and 2022. The closure of Beverly Screens in 2021 signalled the complete disappearance of cinema showings from Knokke-Heist’s east coast as entertainment consumption patterns evolved.
According to Statistics Belgium, residential construction permits in the area experienced a 12% growth from 2019 to 2023.
The proposed 26-apartment residential development matches this growing regional housing market requirement. The real estate market in Knokke-Heist saw an 18% price increase since 2020 because it attracts both tourists and residents who want secondary homes.
A prime urban location between Kongostraat and Leopoldstraat sits within a commercial district that is becoming known for its mixed-use developments. Municipal records show central Knokke-Heist has seen a reduction of 8% in empty properties since 2021 because investors started showing more interest in the area. The current decision to develop Beverly Screens will play an essential role in shaping ongoing urban developments across the area.
