Reforms to the "Code Bruxellois de l'Aménagement du Territoire" (CoBAT) and the "Ordonnance relative aux permis d'environnement" (OPE) have modified the procedure for requesting the opinion of the fire service for urban planning and environmental certificates and permits, as well as for subdivision permits.
From September 1, 2019, it will no longer be up to the applicant to obtain the opinion of the fire department before submitting his application, but up to the authority responsible for issuing the permit (municipality or Region) to request this opinion (when required) at the same time as it requests the opinions of the other administrations and bodies concerned.
The only exception is the so-called "simplified regularisation planning permit" (Art. 330, § 3 of the CoBAT).
This is an expedited procedure designed to bring the fact and the law into line for irregular situations created before 1 January 2000, but which are in accordance with the regulations of the time or the current one.
Concretely, only the works are concerned:
- that were carried out without a licence when one was required (work that was contravened),
- before 1 January 2000 (proof to be provided by the applicant),
- but which are in conformity with the regulations of the time or the current one,
- and which did not at the time and should not today be subject to impact assessment.
Is your request for a situation that meets all of these conditions? In this case, you must first seek the opinion of the fire department before submitting your request to the municipality in which the situation to be regularized is located. Only if the firefighters give a favourable opinion will the municipality issue the permit.