Advisory report 44: Draft note of the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan

On 18 July 2025, VARIO received a request from the Department of Environment for advice on the draft note of the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan (Beleidsplan Ruimte Vlaanderen, BRV). The draft BRV note rightly points out the significant role that spatial policy plays in tackling the societal challenges we face. Spatial policy also has a major impact on entrepreneurship and innovation. The draft BRV note explicitly addresses space for entrepreneurship, but innovation is hardly mentioned. VARIO has therefore focused its recommendations primarily on areas of concern for Flemish spatial policy with regard to innovation:

Recommendation 1: Give innovation a prominent place in the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan in order to support and facilitate innovation and innovation ecosystems.

• Recommendation 1.1: Provide the spatial clustering that innovation ecosystems need.
• Recommendation 1.2: Develop a strategic vision on the (further) development of space for the knowledge economy, such as science parks and zones for innovative industry. Link this vision to the exercise relating to strategic sectors. Pay sufficient attention to all factors that determine attractiveness for talent.
• Recommendation 1.3: Make the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan sufficiently dynamic in relation to the speed at which innovations and innovation ecosystems develop.
• Recommendation 1.4: Avoid regulations that hinder innovation.

Recommendation 2: Include in the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan the necessary links with other policy initiatives relevant for innovation and entrepreneurship.

• Recommendation 2.1: The much-needed initiatives for accelerated and more legally certain licensing procedures.
• Recommendation 2.2: The Flemish Industry Plan.
• Recommendation 2.3: The Climate Leap.
• Recommendation 2.4: Regarding the realisation of the societal transitions we are facing.

Recommendation 3: Strengthen the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan on a number of more general points.

• Recommendation 3.1: Select a limited number of concrete, strategic objectives, such as further developing space for the knowledge economy.

• Recommendation 3.2: Formalise and consolidate the cross-policy nature.
• Recommendation 3.3: Provide more substantiation.
• Recommendation 3.4 Pay more attention to cross-border cooperation and international aspects.
• Recommendation 3.5: Provide the necessary means to make sound trade-offs between policy frameworks and administrative levels, and be clear about the key concepts used.

Recommendation 4: Maintain pace in completing the Flanders Spatial Policy Plan given the importance of a strong and future-proof vision on spatial use in Flanders.