Residents and RZ Tienen reach agreement on new hospital construction: "You get what you give" | VRT NWS (BE)

Construction of the new RZ Tienen regional hospital can now proceed after an agreement was reached between the hospital and local residents. An action committee had previously appealed the environmental permit, citing concerns over potential traffic issues and the placement of a parking tower adjacent to an apartment building. After months of discussions, RZ Tienen has finalized a financial settlement with the neighborhood.

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We were diametrically opposed. But by meeting regularly over the past eight months, we have reached a consensus.

The new hospital, part of a planned Wellness Campus, will feature 69 day-admission beds, 252 hospitalization beds, and 10 intensive care beds. It will also include eight operating rooms, four delivery rooms, and an emergency department with 19 places, alongside a general practitioner's waiting post. The project, estimated at 195 million euros, is slated for opening in 2030.

Despite initial approval from Flemish Minister Jo Brouns, the project faced further setbacks when local residents filed a new appeal. Their primary concerns revolved around the mobility impact on the surrounding area and the proximity of the parking tower to an existing apartment block. "We were diametrically opposed," stated William Neyskens, a resident involved in the opposition for six years. "But by meeting regularly over the past eight months, we have reached a consensus."

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You get what you give.

Under the agreement, RZ Tienen commits to addressing the residents' concerns. Both parties will jointly urge the city to appoint an independent traffic expert. The parking tower will be relocated further from the apartment building, which will also receive a new roof at the hospital's expense. "You get what you give," Neyskens commented. Hospital director Nancy Vansteenkiste expressed relief, emphasizing the importance of good traffic access for the hospital. "Together with the neighborhood, we commit to advocating for it." The project timeline remains unchanged, with foundation work already underway and the first stone-laying ceremony scheduled for June 19.

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I am very happy that we have reached a compromise. For a hospital like ours, good traffic access is naturally of great importance. Together with the neighborhood, we commit to advocating for it.