Heylen Warehouses, Audi, the Brussels-Capital Region, and the municipality of Vorst (Forest) have signed the agreement for the acquisition of the site of the former Audi Brussels factory in Vorst. With this signing, the transaction is now formally confirmed. The agreement aims to redevelop the site into a mixed-use urban business park, designed to accommodate industrial and innovative companies and to enable the creation of at least 3,000 jobs that are currently considered lost.
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Laurent Hublet, Brussels Minister for Employment and the Economy: “Today, a mutual trust has been established regarding the redevelopment of this site: together, we are showing courage. Our joint commitment is to transform this site into an industrial facility that is open to the city, with a diverse ecosystem and fully integrated into the fabric of Brussels and Belgium. This project is one of the most significant initiatives in the field of economic regeneration within our country. Bringing together SMEs and established industrial activities is precisely the model of urban economy that we wish to develop in Brussels. This project fits within that vision and ensures that the site continues to serve the economy and the people of Brussels.”
Wim Heylen, Chairman of the Heylen Group: “This site presents both a unique opportunity and a responsibility. Our ambition is not to turn the page on Brussels’ industrial history, but to rewrite it, with more businesses, more jobs, and a site that is finally open to its local community and its city. We are determined to make this a project of which Brussels can be proud.”
The former Audi factory, once a closed and single-purpose site, will be transformed into a business park fully integrated into Vorst (Forest), where local, national, and international companies can grow in the heart of the European capital.
This 55-hectare site, the largest industrial estate in the Brussels-Capital Region, boasts significant assets: a high-voltage power line, a rail link, and its immediate proximity to both the city centre and the ring road. It is a strategically important site for the creation of industrial jobs and for the Region’s economic attractiveness. The site also formed the basis for the Brussels Government’s implementation of the Competitiveness Pact, aimed at supporting its development through the use of fiscal instruments.
The Heylen Warehouses project involves a mixed-use regeneration: the preservation and development of industrial activities, space for SMEs and innovative businesses, the partial opening of the site to the public, and the revitalisation of Vorst-Zuid station to serve the neighbourhood and the Region.
The ambition is to turn this site into one of Brussels’ most dynamic economic centres. This will be achieved by transforming it into an urban business park that accommodates a wide variety of businesses, thereby becoming a sustainable economic driver for the Region. The project is currently known as ‘Ringspark21’ and aims to create 3,000 jobs.
Boris Dilliès, Minister-President of the Brussels-Capital Region: “The redevelopment of the Audi site was a priority for this government. The acquisition of the site demonstrates that Brussels is an attractive location. We are attracting businesses and creating jobs in our region.”
Audrey Henry, State Secretary responsible for Urban Development and Spatial Planning: “The sale has been finalised; now it is time to redevelop the Audi site. Developing a site of this scale requires clarity, certainty and, above all, ambition. All the conditions are now in place to breathe new life into this site and turn it into a new Brussels hub, fully integrated into the heart of the region and focused on the future. It is time to move forward, make the necessary choices and build the Brussels of tomorrow.”
Charles Spapens, Mayor of Vorst: “The redevelopment of this site is a historic opportunity for our municipality. From the outset, we wanted this place – which has played a major role in shaping our industrial identity – to take on a powerful economic role once again, with job creation as a priority, and for this new project to be fully integrated into Vorst and to benefit all residents. We will remain an active partner throughout the entire process to ensure that this transformation is a success.”
Ralph Caspanni, co-CEO of Heylen Warehouses: “We are getting started straight away, without wasting any time, because every day counts when it comes to employment. The urgency is not only financial but also social: the sooner this forward-looking project becomes operational, the sooner Brussels can recover the lost jobs and generate a new dynamic for growth.”
Philippe Deschilder, co-CEO of Heylen Warehouses: “We want to act swiftly to address the socio-economic urgency whilst simultaneously building a sustainable long-term project. The ambition is great, the approach is pragmatic: thinking long-term, drawing up a strategic plan, and moving forward in a focused manner, together with Brussels and the companies wishing to participate. We are going to make this a collective success.”
It is not yet known which companies will set up on the site of the former Audi factory. Heylen Warehouses is in talks with a wide range of stakeholders and is not focusing exclusively on large international companies.
Yordi Van den Brande, Business Development Manager at Heylen Warehouses: “The development of the site will be tailored to the needs of the market: what the city, the neighbourhood and the companies require will determine what will be set up here. It is essential that the site provides a clear space for the local economy: SMEs, craftspeople and entrepreneurs who want to grow in their own city. We are ‘open for business’ and invite interested parties to get in touch.”
The parties will communicate the next steps in the process in due course, in accordance with regulatory procedures and with due regard for the stakeholders involved.