The Westhoek needs space to do business

Last year, Voka West-Vlaanderen launched a double appeal at this time of year: to put an end to the plans to transform the Westhoek into a “landscape park” and to urgently speed up the Ypres-Veurne complex project, which should improve access to the region in terms of mobility. To Voka’s great satisfaction, the “Landschapspark Westhoek” application was not accepted. “This decision removed a lot of uncertainty among our entrepreneurs,” says Pieter De Brabandere, president of Voka in the Veurne region.

Less success for the Ypres-Veurne mobility file. A file that is gathering dust in the office of Minister Zuhal Demir. “Compared to last year, there has been hardly any progress,” says Vincent Callens, who took over from Christophe Dhaene in June as Voka’s chairman for the Ypres region. “We have to do something in terms of quality of life, fluidity and safety. This is a unique opportunity that should not be missed. We are therefore ready to play a pioneering role in this file with Voka West-Vlaanderen in order to put all stakeholders on the same wavelength.

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The two regional presidents end on a positive note. “As I said, we were delighted that the Westhoek Landscape Park dossier was not accepted,” said Vincent Callens and Pieter De Brabandere. “In addition, we are also delighted that the ROCs (Regional Transshipment Centers) in Veurne and Diksmuide will become operational in 2023, which will give inland navigation in our region an additional boost. Finally, good news also came from the Province of West Flanders, which successfully launched the European 5G project.Flanders smart fieldsat the Westhoek. The Westhoek currently has poor 3G and 4G coverage. With this project – which will include several pilot projects in the field of health – the Westhoek will become one of the first smart and connected rural areas in Europe.