Peter Lacoere

Peter Lacoere is a civil engineer-architect and urban planner. He is currently attached to KULeuven as visiting professor and to HOGENT as lecturer and researcher (DRUM research centre). At KULeuven, he teaches the course Project- and environmental planning (Project- en omgevingsmanagement, A51419).

Peter’s main research topics are land policy, land use and land management tools. He obtained a PhD in Architecture at the University of Leuven on the No Net Land Take policy in Europe and in Flanders in particular. He has explored this topic in recent years. His doctoral research has been published (Van groei tot grens. Limits to land take).

Peter is coordinator of the research project ‘Betonstop 2020-2040′. This project is carried out by the DRUM research centre to measure and simulate the reduction strategy for Flanders, both spatially and financially. This project was awarded by the Flemish planning association VRP (Open Ruimte Beker, 2022). Six scientific reports were published on no net land take for Flanders and the web application Betonmeter was developed to give municipalities a better understanding of their land take and soil sealing.

Together with three other experts, Peter authored the policy advisory report of the Taskforce Bouwshift, commissioned by the Flemish Minister of Environment Zuhal Demir. This policy report outlines the implementation of a NNLT-trajectory for the Flemish region by 2040. Furthermore, he published articles on the Flemish NNLT, in particular on the problems the region faces with its rigid land use plans and the high financial compensation rights.