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Antwerp City Hall on the Grote Markt, its Renaissance facade hung with rows of national flags, with the bronze Brabo fountain in front under a blue sky

Belgium

Antwerp

Photo: FrDr, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Antwerp is extending its district heating network to 3,800 social homes in Rozemaai and Luchtbal, has opened Ringpark West, the first of its seven ring parks, and is piloting cooperative and budget rental housing in the Cadix district and Ekeren.

Updated · Checked against official sources

  • Population

    About 570,000

    largest city in Flanders; 180 nationalities

  • Acting mayor

    Els van Doesburg

  • EU programmes

    4

Latest

  1. Inclusion ·

    Antwerp launches gender equality action plan with free support for youth workers

    Antwerp has launched a gender equality action plan offering youth workers free webinars, training, workshops and coaching with partners such as Sensoa and Pimento; youth associations can apply until 9 November, and a free exhibition runs until 16 November.

    Facts and source
    • The city is offering youth workers a free package of training, workshops and coaching to help them deal with questions and tensions around gender equality.
    • Youth associations can apply for the free support until 9 November.
    • A free exhibition, 'Niet mijn keuze', runs at the city hall and Central Station until 16 November.

    Source: Antwerp city hall, “Stad Antwerpen lanceert actieplan gendergelijkheid”

    Read with context →

City briefs are drafted with AI from official sources; every fact is matched automatically against the source text before publication, without an editor approving it first.

Projects we track

6 projects · 2 completed · 2 under way

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Antwerp North heat network: Rozemaai and Luchtbal

    The city and grid operator Fluvius are building a district heating network that uses waste heat from Indaver's incinerators to heat 3,800 Woonhaven social homes, 8 schools and a new city services building. First connections in Rozemaai are due at the end of 2026; the full network, including Luchtbal, is being built until autumn 2028.

    Funded by Stad Antwerpen, Fluvius Climate and energy

    Status checked 23 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Ringpark West, Linkeroever

    The first of Antwerp's seven ring parks opened in August 2026 on the Left Bank, linking more than 500 hectares of woods and nature in Linkeroever and Zwijndrecht with new cycling and walking paths and noise barriers along the ring road.

    Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 23 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Cooperative housing pilot, Cadix district

    On three city-owned plots at the head of the Eilandje, city development company AG Vespa will add family and social homes and set up a cooperative housing pilot in which residents jointly own the homes through shares; the city calls it the largest in Flanders.

    Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 23 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    50 budget rental homes, Rozemaai (Ekeren)

    A public-private pilot on city land: Groep Van Roey will design, build, finance and let fifty budget rental flats at least 15% below local market rents, for residents who do not qualify for social housing. Construction is planned to start in spring 2028.

    Funded by Groep Van Roey (PPP); rent subsidy from the Flemish government Regeneration and housing

    Status checked 23 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Fully digital death registration (Elys)

    Since 1 December 2025 doctors, funeral directors and the city handle death registration in one integrated digital platform, Elys, instead of by e-mail; Antwerp was the third Flemish municipality to switch, ahead of the roll-out to all Flemish municipalities in 2026.

    Digital government

    Status checked 23 October 2026 · Source

    1. Planned
    2. Funded
    3. Under way
    4. Completed

    Scheldetunnel, Oosterweel Link

    The new tunnel under the Scheldt, with two road tubes and a six-metre-wide cycle tube, was sunk in 2025 and is now being fitted out: cyclists can use it from 2028, cars from 2030, and the whole Oosterweel Link closing the Antwerp ring is due in 2033.

    Funded by Lantis (Flemish government) Mobility

    Status checked 23 October 2026 · Source

EU programmes and networks

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