Research into new location closer to city for Antwerp Maritime Campus (Antwerp)
In May of this year, the Antwerp shipping company CMB received a permit for the construction of a new maritime campus next to the BlueGate business park, close to the Hoboken polder. There was protest against this from, among others, Natuurpunt, which has meanwhile gone to the Council for Permit Disputes. The city is now looking into moving the new campus closer to the city, at the entrance to BlueGate, near the Kennedy Tunnel.
The Maritime Campus Antwerp (MCA) may not be built near the Hobokense polder nature reserve after all. “We have received a building permit from the city of Antwerp to build at this location, subject to a lot of preconditions,” says MCA director Bart Huybrechts. “For example, we are not allowed to start work during the breeding season and the migratory season of the birds in the Hoboken polder. The application has perpetuated a permit. But it’s true that the city has now opened an investigation to see if MCA could be built closer to the city center. WWe see a win-win in that.”
In this way MCA wants to become a new symbol for the roadstead in Antwerp. The campus will be a place where innovation in shipping is being worked on. “Wherever you have the Port House in the north of the city, we want our site on the other side of Antwerp to become a landmark as well. That has been our ambition.”
MCA is therefore positive about an expected location change. “All that good cause that we have to start over from a blank slate architecturally. But the connection with the city is an important criterion for us.” However, there are also a number of concerns: “What features will be added to this site? And how will they interact with each other? Does our concept survive here? In addition, you are also underground with pipelines from Aquafin and with a road that runs through the site. It’s a complex story,” says Huybrechts.
What about the new football stadium?
And then there is the story of the Stadion aan de Stroom: a multifunctional football stadium that was originally to be used by both RAFC and Beerschot. Antwerp has meanwhile decided to stay on the Bosuil. Beerschot is still in doubt. But question is of plans for a new stadium on the brink now that MCA may be erected on the same site?
“All options are still open at the moment,” says Frans Lauwers, chief of cabinet of aldermen of Urban Development Annick De Ridder (N-VA). “Currently, the city has part of this site in concession from the Flemish Waterway. On this part only used as processing for materials. But we can also take that further away from the city, where the CA campus of M would be located. This has its advantages: there is a jetty and the resulting materials can also be delivered by barge. In turn, the campus can be built closer to the city. A change, so to speak.”
Although there are also a number of reservations about that story from this angle. “These have to do with, among other things, the football stadium and the other claims that lie on that site. If the stadium comes, there will be no green light for it, is a combination with MCA spatially possible? That is currently being investigated. In addition, the landfall of the bicycle bridge over the Scheldt will also be located at this location. This must also be taken into account. But just to be clear: the track for a football stadium is not completely off the track.”