What do we see?
Each year we see an increase in the building density and amount of natural land that has been developed in Flanders. In 2021, 391,584 ha of land was built up or developed. The majority of this land is used for residential buildings (44%) and transport and communication infrastructure (30%). Of the remaining natural land (970,970 ha), most is used for agriculture.
What’s the aim?
The amount of built-up area has a big impact on the environment and biodiversity. It negatively affects the natural water and carbon cycle. As this influences emissions and our water reserves, we aim to limit the built-up area in a circular economy.
To reduce the amount of built-up area, we need to find ways to use space more efficiently. For example, by creating more living or useful space in a smaller surface area. However, this can only be achieved while taking into account other factors like housing needs, etc.
What does this indicator measure?
This indicator shows how the space in Flanders is used and how this use evolves. The data is provided by Statbel.
