New Antwerp Prison Sits Empty as Taxpayers Foot €2M Monthly Bill

The Belgian government is paying approximately €2 million per month in “availability fees” for a brand-new prison in Antwerp that remains completely empty — while the dilapidated 19th-century facility it was meant to replace continues to house over 700 inmates in a space designed for 430. The situation has sparked public outrage and raised serious questions about the cost-effectiveness of Belgium’s public-private prison financing model.

A Prison Ready, But Not Open

The new Antwerp prison at Blue Gate (Olieweg, Petroleum-Zuid) was completed in early 2026 and its keys were handed over to the Buildings Agency on April 20. Yet the facility — with 440 cells spread across three sections for men, women, and medical care — has yet to receive a single inmate. According to HLN, the earliest possible opening is now September 2026.

Three interconnected issues are behind the delay. A technical problem requires clarification between the Justice Department and the Buildings Agency before the official inauguration — originally planned for June 19 — can proceed. The prison also needs approximately 270 new staff members to fill 320 full-time positions, with only 53 surplus personnel available from the old Begijnenstraat prison. Finally, an ongoing dispute with trade unions over the deployment of 30 private security guards for access control has yet to be resolved.

“There is a technical issue that has emerged about which Justice first wants clarity from the Buildings Agency,” Kathleen Van de Vijver, spokesperson for the Prison Service, told HLN. “Only when that is resolved can the invitations for the inauguration be sent out.”

The €600 Million Question

The prison was built through a Design-Build-Finance-Maintain (DBFM) public-private partnership. The consortium Hortus Conclusus — comprising Jan De Nul NV, EEG NV, and TINC — invested approximately €200 million in construction. Under the 25-year contract, the government pays an annual availability fee of €23.1 million (including VAT), totaling roughly €600 million over the contract period. Ownership transfers to the state only after 25 years.

Since April 20, the government has been paying approximately €2 million per month — roughly €4,545 per cell — for an empty building. According to the Belgian Buildings Agency, the total construction cost was €195.5 million (excl. VAT), with an additional €950,000 per trimester for facility services like waste management, laundry, and catering.

Public Fury: “Outrageous”

When HLN published the story on May 31, reader reactions were swift and furious. A follow-up article on June 1 captured the public mood. “€2 million for the rent of a building with 440 cells, good for 440 people. That means a cost of about €4,545 per person, just for the rent,” wrote reader Sylvain Kusters. “While citizens pay more and more taxes, money is being spent here without thinking. This is very difficult to justify.”

Another reader, Herbert Verbeeck, calculated the long-term cost: “€24 million per year, times 25 years… €600 million… You could build something yourself with that.” Frank De Kegel, who says he works for the government, added: “I have witnessed extortionate contracts multiple times. The government has no money to build itself, but pays extortionate rent so that the landlords have recouped their property in 5 years. Outrageous.”

The contrast with elderly care homes also struck a nerve. “€5,000 per month to rent a cell, and a pensioner can’t even afford a room in a care facility,” wrote Piet Mastur.

Overcrowding at Begijnenstraat

While the new prison sits empty, conditions at the old Begijnenstraat prison — built in 1855 — continue to deteriorate. As of late May, 69 inmates (65 men and 4 women) were sleeping on the floor. VRT NWS reported in early May that the facility, designed for approximately 430 inmates, regularly houses over 700.

Prison guard Detlev described the conditions: “A cell is about 3 by 4 meters. You have a bunk bed against one wall. A table and cabinet against the other. In that small gangway lies a mattress on the floor. To get to the toilet, you have to step over the other person’s head. You’re lying almost with your head against the toilet bowl.”

The Private Security Dispute

A key sticking point in opening the new facility is the dispute over hiring 30 private security guards for access control of non-inmates — lawyers, family members, and suppliers. Unions oppose the move, arguing the private guards would cost €11 million without clear added value.

“After months of negotiations, the FOD Justice still cannot tell us how the tasks of those security guards will be filled,” said Robby De Kaey, ACOD union representative. “This private security costs a lot of money. We’re talking about €11 million, but no one can tell us anything about the added value.”

What’s Next

A trial period is planned for summer 2026, including a volunteer “lock-in” weekend where participants will be confined to the new cells to test the facilities. Similar tests were conducted at other DBFM-built prisons in Beveren, Dendermonde, and Haren. The earliest possible operational opening is September 2026, though this depends on resolving the technical issue, staff recruitment, and the union dispute over private security.

For now, the Belgian government continues to pay €2 million per month for a state-of-the-art prison that remains empty — while inmates in the old facility sleep on floors and prison staff work in increasingly untenable conditions. The situation has become a flashpoint for broader public frustration with government spending and the growing role of private finance in public infrastructure.