The masterplan was instigated due to the transformation of the existing bottleneck onto a major highway that adjoins the village thus relieving the town of significant congestion.
In this vision of the new masterplan which consists of the horeca strip, the cloister site and a number of other areas will merge with the Zonien Wood and thus bring the village’s assets to the front. The site acts as an entry point into the touristic area. Each investment on the site should not be seen in isolation but rather as a compliment to the redevelopment of the entire village centre.
This masterplan is no blueprint or final design – it merely indicates direction and sketches out ambitions. In this way the masterplan cannot be simply ‘rolled-out’. Investment is necessary for the village to be re-appreciated. The masterplan therefore invites various infrastructure projects to be coordinated between the Flemish, provincial and municipal levels of government.
The masterplan thus creates a framework provides conditions for the discussion to take place over the coming years. It sketches out a strategy for out the village can be re-evaluated as an attractive place for residents, shop owners and visitors alike.
