Mortsel (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – The restoration of Mortsel’s Fort 4, funded with €23 million from the Flemish government and managed by Fort 4 BV, led by Tim Robaye, has been stopped after 5 years due to rising costs; hotel plans are cancelled.
As VRT News reported, the restoration of Fort 4 in Mortsel, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium, has been stopped after 5 years. The project ran out of money before it could be finished. The plan included restoring the entire historic fort.
What is causing Mortsel’s Fort 4 restoration to be paused?
According to officials, problems appeared in the 1st phase of the work. The old buildings had unexpected structural issues. Fitting modern facilities into the historic fort was also difficult. Costs increased sharply because of these issues. The budget could not cover all the expenses.
“There were difficulties, among other things, with repairing the roof seal,”
explains Tim Robaye (Groen/Vooruit), alderman for Heritage and Fort 4
“The bottom line is we are short millions.”
Tim Robaye (Green/Forward), Alderman for Heritage and Fort. 4
The restoration of Fort 4 in Mortsel has been on hold for several years because of rising costs and budget limits.
“The money that was provided in 2020 is therefore no longer sufficient. It means we are short millions.”
Fort 4 BV will therefore be dissolved.
“The three parties no longer see it as an added value.”
After the roof work is finished, the project team will meet with the Flanders Heritage Agency to plan the next steps. The site still has Flemish subsidies, but the money will only cover selected restoration and improvements. Plans for a hotel have been abandoned entirely.
Fort 4 in Mortsel is a 19th-century fort part of Antwerp’s defensive ring. It was built between 1860 and 1864. There are only 7 remaining Brialmont forts in Belgium. The Belgian Army decommissioned the fort in 2000, and the City of Mortsel acquired it years later. They opened some parts of the fort as a public park and nature area.
In 2020, the City, the Kempens Landschap Foundation, and the Flemish Participation Company (PMV) established Fort 4 BV to decide the future of the site. They planned extensive restoration work, including the restoration of the fort, construction of a new catering facility, and additional hotel space. The Flemish government awarded €23 million in subsidies to complete the work.
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