Flemish government bids for former Van Hool industrial site

The Flemish Government has decided to bid for 30 hectares of industrial land owned by the bankrupt Belgian bus manufacturer Van Hool in Koningshooikt, near Lier.

The land, which is being sold through a public auction, has a starting price of €20 million. Van Hool originally bought the site for future expansion, but those plans never happened before the company went bankrupt in 2024.

Flemish minister-president Matthias Diependaele said the government wants to ensure the land remains available for industrial and manufacturing businesses. He stressed that the government does not normally buy and develop property, but believes this case is in the public interest.

“There is a serious shortage of industrial land in Flanders, especially large sites,” Diependaele said. In the province of Antwerp, only about 45 hectares of industrial land is currently available.

“There is a serious shortage of industrial land in Flanders, especially large sites”

The government plans to prepare the site for business use and later make it available to companies that can create jobs and strengthen the region’s industrial economy. Development would take place in cooperation with local authorities and potentially private partners.

The auction opened on Monday, and it remains unclear whether other buyers will submit higher bids.

^{#FlandersNewsService | The former Van Hool bus assembly plant in Koningshooikt, Lier © BELGA PHOTO JONAS ROOSENS}