Belgium Rolls Out Modular Prison Cells to Ease Overcrowding

Belgium is deploying modular prison cells at existing detention sites across the country in a phased effort to tackle record overcrowding, with Bruges expected to be operational first and Leuven not ready until the end of 2027. The initiative is part of Justice Minister Annelies Verlinden’s promise to create 1,300 additional detention places by the end of the current legislature, as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.

A Crisis at Record Levels

The urgency behind the plan is stark. On March 23, 2026, Belgian prisons held 13,711 detainees — the highest number ever recorded — with 701 inmates sleeping on floor mattresses, breaking the previous record of 672 set in December 2025, according to VRT NWS. Prisons built for roughly 11,000 people have been operating at overcrowding rates exceeding 19 percent.

The federal government’s Easter Agreement of April 2025 included an emergency plan to address the crisis, with modular units at existing prison sites as a cornerstone of the strategy. The approach was detailed by VRT NWS when the plan was first announced.

The Modular Units Plan

The government awarded a framework agreement on January 10, 2025 to the consortium De Meeuw nv and Detoo Architects nv, with a maximum budget of 219 million euros for 1,100 places via unit construction. After the budget agreement in late November 2025, ministers Verlinden and Vanessa Matz (Government Enterprises) received 600 million euros in additional funding. In early 2026, part of the contract worth 116 million euros was redirected to create 300 additional places where the cell shortage was most acute.

According to Focus-WTV, the plan includes 50 extra places each at Bruges, Hasselt, and Leuven prisons, plus 150 additional places in Wallonia at Paifve and Lantin, both near Liège.

Timeline by Location

• Bruges: Expected ready by mid-2027. The large secured inner courtyards require no perimeter adjustment, and technical specifications are being finalized.
• Hasselt: Expected ready by spring 2027. The extra cells will replace the prison’s vegetable garden, and utility works have already started.
• Leuven: Expected ready by end of 2027. A decision on whether units will be placed at Centraal or Hulp will be made this autumn.
• Lantin: Expected ready by autumn 2027, though complex infrastructure and elevation differences are causing slight delays.
• Paifve: The dossier is approved but no timeline has been set.

The construction process follows a tight schedule: ground and foundation works take 1-2 months, physical placement of prefabricated blocks takes 3 weeks, and interior finishing and security installation takes 2-3 months.

Genk: The Blueprint

The first fully modular detention house in Belgium is taking shape at the former Rijkswacht site on Vennestraat in Genk. Delivery of units started in spring 2026 and was completed in April. The facility will open in November 2026 for 40 short-sentence prisoners with low security risk, as detailed by VRT NWS.

The Genk project serves as a blueprint for similar modular detention houses in Antwerp, Ninove, and Jemeppe-sur-Sambre. According to the Regie der Gebouwen, the complex consists of approximately 140 units across two floors with a total floor area of about 3,000 square meters, and will be nearly energy-neutral with solar panels and green roofs.

Union Concerns and Broader Strategy

Trade unions have welcomed the recognition of the crisis but warn that additional capacity requires additional staff. “Those extra units also require extra staff. The Hasselt prison is not at all prepared for that today,” Kristof Muyters of the ACOD union told VRT NWS. Robby De Kaey of ACOD added: “The Achilles heel remains the staff shortage. You can build as many cells as you want, but if you don’t make the profession more attractive, there isn’t enough staff.”

Beyond modular units, the government is investing in new prisons via public-private partnerships (Vresse-sur-Semois, Leopoldsburg, Bergen, Verviers), renovating existing facilities, and building a third Flemish Forensic Psychiatric Center in Aalst. Verlinden has rejected proposals to build six new prisons, arguing that “if we build six new prisons tomorrow, they will be full the day after,” as reported by Het Laatste Nieuws.

What’s Next

The coming months will be critical. The Genk detention house is set to open in November 2026, and the first modular units at existing prisons are expected to come online through 2027. The Regie der Gebouwen continues to oversee the rollout, with additional modular units planned at Forensic Psychiatric Centers in Antwerp (90 places in 2027) and Ghent (30 places in 2026), though that timing is at risk.

Whether the modular approach can keep pace with the inflow of detainees remains an open question. With record numbers continuing to climb, the government’s ability to deliver on its 1,300-place promise — and the staffing to support it — will determine whether Belgium’s prison system can finally turn the corner.