Objectives of Programme's Learning Outcomes

• Support local governance choices
• Develop management and governance skills specific to urban and regional planning processes
• Integrate the different expectations of stakeholders involved in the environment, urban planning and regional development
• Support project dynamics (technical management/political management)
• Master the conditions for the feasibility of an urban and regional project
• Analyse the dynamics of the creation and transformation of areas: referring to theories, historical processes, constraints and potential, the interplay of stakeholders, and the various relevant spatial and temporal scales in order to identify the issues and set out forward-looking scenarios
• Identify the various working hypotheses in relation to an urban planning problem and linked to urban and rural policy
• Demonstrate skills in research, analysis and evaluation, as well as the ability to make appropriate decisions based on quantitative and qualitative evidence
• Identify and articulate the different components making up an urban or territorial context

Learning Outcomes of UE

Students will be able to understand the fundamental concepts of urban planning law and apply them in practice through a concrete case study.

After putting the resources covered in class into practice, students will be able to perform the following tasks:
- Conduct an urban planning analysis of a site by identifying, based on its location, the applicable planning tools and its development potential;
- Identify and put into perspective, based on the urban analysis, the regulatory constraints for the operational development of the site;
- Understand the authorisations and procedures applicable in urban planning and be able to apply them to a concrete project;
- Propose ideas for the feasibility of a project based on the regulatory framework (project vision, stakeholders, programming, timings, etc.).
 

UE Content: description and pedagogical relevance

The course is based on a combination of theoretical lectures and practical exercises, providing a gradual and structured introduction to the basics of urban planning law. The sessions cover the planning and regulatory framework, present the different types of authorisations and the procedures applicable to a permit application, from the preparation of the file to the examination and follow-up of the decision. The course mainly covers the rules in force in the Brussels-Capital Region, while also incorporating the specific features of Wallonia in order to understand the different regional approaches. The theoretical input is illustrated by the analysis of concrete cases, real planning permission application documents and practical exercises aimed at acquiring the necessary skills for preparing a planning permission application. Assessment takes the form of a professional scenario: students carry out an exercise in which they take on the role of an architect responsible for proposing a project that meets urban planning standards and procedural requirements. They must demonstrate their ability to analyse the planning framework, apply the appropriate rules and justify the permit application. The project is developed alongside a gradual progression in the subject matter to be put into practice and is subject to an interim review, allowing for the identification of areas for improvement before the final presentation.The examination consists of a presentation of the project and a discussion of the concepts covered in the course. In addition to legal feasibility, this exercise draws on certain concepts covered in other Master's courses: urban planning, environmental issues, territorial governance. It constitutes a concrete scenario, aimed at anchoring theoretical learning in a practice directly inspired by professional realities.

Prior Experience

Not applicable