What can you build in Schaerbeek?

What you can build in Schaerbeek (Schaarbeek) depends on the area of the Regional Land Use Plan (PRAS) in which your plot lies, on a special land use plan (PPAS) if one applies, on the Regional Urban Planning Regulation (RRU) and on the municipality’s regulations. In Schaerbeek, 7 PPAS apply, and there are 58 protected properties.

At a glance

Find out for free what you can build on your plot in Schaerbeek

How much can I build in Schaerbeek?

That depends on the plot: the area of the Regional Land Use Plan (PRAS) in which it lies, a special land use plan (PPAS) if one applies, the Regional Urban Planning Regulation (RRU) and the municipality’s regulations. For each address, the Perceelscan report states which area and which PPAS apply, with a link to their provisions; in Brussels, it does not yet calculate the m² of floor area.

Which special land use plans (PPAS) apply in Schaerbeek?

In Schaerbeek, 7 special land use plans apply, including the most recent ones: ‘ILOTS 61-62-64 A 68-71-72 QUARTIER OUEST DE LA GARE DU NORD partie …’ (2005), ‘ILOT 15 ILOT FORME PAR SNCB, les rues walckiers, chaumontel et zenobe …’ (1993) and ‘ILOT 233 ENTRE CHAUSSEE DE HAECHT ET LES RUES ROGIER, SEUTIN ET …’ (1993). In addition, 4 PPAS are in preparation. A PPAS only applies within its own area: for each address, the Perceelscan tells you whether one covers the plot.

Do I need a planning permit in Schaerbeek?

For most works, yes: building, renovating, demolishing and changing the number of dwellings generally require a planning permit, and some activities also need an environmental permit; some minor works are exempt. You can see which permits already exist for an address on openpermits.brussels; the Perceelscan report lists the files for the plot.

Is my property listed as heritage in Schaerbeek?

Schaerbeek has 58 protected properties (listed or on the safeguarding list) and 2,649 properties in the legal inventory of architectural heritage. As a rule, a protected property cannot be demolished; the inventory is not a form of protection. For each address, the Perceelscan tells you whether the building is protected, lies in a protection zone or is in the inventory.

Is there a right of pre-emption in Schaerbeek?

Yes, in one perimeter: Schaerbeek - Petite Colline (until 11 October 2028). Within such a perimeter, a public authority has the right to buy first when a property is sold; the decree in the Belgian Official Gazette states which authority. For each address, the Perceelscan tells you whether the plot lies inside one.

Which municipal urban planning regulation applies in Schaerbeek?

For Schaerbeek, the urban.brussels register lists the regulation ‘Règlement Communal d'Urbanisme couvrant tout le territoire communal’, adopted on 30 September 2010. It applies alongside the Regional Urban Planning Regulation (RRU), which is in force throughout Brussels; a municipality may have other regulations too, so if in doubt, check with the municipality. The municipal regulations are listed by urban.brussels on urbanisme.irisnet.be.

The special land use plans (PPAS) of Schaerbeek

In addition, 8 PPAS in Schaerbeek have been repealed; the report mentions a repealed PPAS if it covered the plot.

What the Perceelscan checks for each plot in Schaerbeek

• The PRAS area with a link to its provisions, and the special land use plans (PPAS) and master development plans (PAD) with their status.
• Heritage: listing, the safeguarding list, protection zones, the legal inventory, UNESCO and the archaeological atlas.
• Flood hazard (2025 map), shallow groundwater and no-build zones along watercourses.
• The soil condition inventory and PFAS.
• Right of pre-emption, Natura 2000, nature reserves and Seveso sites nearby.
• Planning permits and environmental permits on the plot.

Find out for free what you can build on your plot in Schaerbeek

Building near Schaerbeek

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• What can you build in Woluwe-Saint-Lambert?
• What can you build in Koekelberg?
• All Brussels municipalities

Source: BruGIS (perspective.brussels and urban.brussels) and Brussels Environment, open data under CC BY 4.0, retrieved on 11 October 2026.

Updated on 11 October 2026