Brussels the capital of Belgium, has suffered from deindustrialisation, and inner-city decline. The city has also experienced urban sprawl, as its population has grown from 1.4 million in 1960 to just over 2 million today. Both of these processes have had a great impact on the cities land use.

Molenbeek, which sits west of the Brussel canal zone has been greatly impacted by deindustrialisation. It suffers from inner city decline, out migration, low levels of investment and a high incidence of poverty and social deprivation. In order to address these issues, the city authorities have embarked on a regeneration program. The biggest and most ambitious project is the Redevelopment of the canal zone, called Objective 2, which has created some local conflicts.

Large areas of the canal zones have been demolished and new apartment blocks, such as the Up-Site have been developed. This luxury apartment block is tallest building in Brussels, which has attracted wealthier inhabitants into the canal zone, living standards and services supposedly improve because businesses wish to invest here. However, gentrification has negative impacts on poorer residents, with rents rising, as the area becomes more desirable, as new bars, art galleries and hotels spring up. Locals have already complained about the redevelopment project at Port Ninove, as only 120 apartments are being built for low-income residents, yet 250 apartments are being developed for the wealthy.

Brussels has suffered from urban sprawl for many years. This continual growth is due to housing pressure in the city, the process of suburbanisation and counter urbanisation as well as cultural attitude in Belgium to build their own homes. This inevitably puts pressure on the countryside. Continued house building in commuter settlements like Tervuren, improves housing stock but this tends to be for the wealthy. Affordable housing for local young professionals is difficult to find, creating tensions between incomers and locals. The new housing also leads to loss of land and Tervuren is part of the local wine region. This traditional wine production is threatened because the land has more value if sold for housing development, creating conflicts, as locals want to keep hold of their traditions.

Brussels needs to complete its orbital ring road. Although not approved, this is always in the news and being lobbied for at government level. If approved, it would cut through the historical forest and hunting woodland in the south of Brussels creating conflicts between environmentalist and the government.