A new project which aims to meet the need for affordable, quality housing in Brussels is about to see the light of day next to the capital's key international railway station.
The plot of land on Rue Bara next to Brussels-Midi station has stood empty since the former buildings on the site were demolished years ago. A Côte d’Or chocolate factory once stood on the street but was demolished in 1996 to make way for the new TGV terminal.
In recent times, the area has made headlines due to the rising feelings of unsafety, however, this week, a public enquiry opened for a project that is looking to breathe new life into the neighbourhood, in line with government plans to improve its living environment.
The latest version of the Move'Hub project by property developer Immoange (a partnership between Atenor and BPI Real Estate Belgium) and the offices of Jaspers-Eyers Architects and B-architecten, is located where the municipalities of Anderlecht and Saint-Gilles meet.
As part of the latest plans, the site, located between Rue Bara, Rue Ernest Blérot and Avenue Paul-Henri Spaak, will house an 18-storey building that will accommodate 90 residential units (including 64 subsidised homes and two co-living spaces with five to six bedrooms), shops located on the ground floor of Rue Ernest Blérot and avenue Paul-Henri Spaak, and office space.
The site will be divided into three parts, linked by an interior, collective garden of more than 2,600 m2 and will also include parking spaces for cars and bicycles for residents, members of the retail and catering trade and people working in the offices.
Credit: Atenor-BPI Real Estate Belgium/ Jaspers-Eyers Architects/ B-architecten
The affordable housing project is created in collaboration with development company Citydev, meaning they are subsidised and sold at lower prices, while another 24 flats will be up for sale. Each flat will have a basement and one bicycle space per room.
The project will be subjected to feedback from residents and locals until 10 December, which will be heard by the consultation committee during a meeting on Thursday 21 December 2023. The finalisation of the project is scheduled for 2026.
During the public enquiry, the partial demolition of the existing floor slab of Q-park, the felling of 15 trees, the redevelopment of the immediate surroundings, the layout of the garden and the height of the buildings will be at the centre of discussions.
