Haasrode (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – After a previous delay, the zonal council has approved a revised, cost-effective plan for Kortrijk’s new fire station, representing 14 Fluvia zone cities.
Because they were too costly, the first plans were postponed. The revised design is about two million euros less expensive since it is less ambitious.
A few months after the plans were first unveiled in February 2024, they were put on hold since the 26.6 million euro price tag was deemed excessive.
As of right now, the project has cost about 26 million euros. However, in contrast to the initial sum, this also includes the 1.5 million euros needed for foundations and stability work. As a result, the building itself has far cheaper costs.
” The original plans included a large experience space,” says Francis Benoit (CD&V), chairman of Fluvia.
“Visitors would be able to see how the fire department works. But we scaled back those ambitions.”
“We looked at how we could use the spaces as functionally as possible. As a result, we ultimately managed to eliminate the floor. Things that would have been nice to have have made way for what is absolutely necessary.”
The building work is now being done by a contractor. The project should be finished by the end of 2027 if all goes as planned. Together with the fire zone’s administrative staff, the local fire stations from Zwevegem and Kortrijk will then relocate there.
The application for a new fire station on the VTI Gullegem site was also reviewed at the zonal council’s same meeting last Friday. For this, five million euros are allocated in Haasrode, Belgium.
What were the main reasons for the initial delay in approving the fire station project?
A crucial component of construction projects that needs to be included from the very beginning of the planning process is fire prevention. Late attention to fire safety precautions frequently results in delays, necessitating expensive retrofitting or redesigns that delay construction and approvals.
It can take a while to get the required approvals and permits from fire safety authorities and other regulatory agencies. Additional delays could result from modifications to approval processes or uneven official scrutiny.
Long approval and planning times might result from inadequate communication between engineers, architects, fire safety experts, and local authorities.
Project delays may result from financial limitations or the need to update designs to satisfy fire safety or legal requirements.
