Eleven flats, two semi-detached houses, and a shop are expected to result from the undertaking and provide housing and living space for people who do not have access to the conventional housing market. However, the development is to be made with respect to the history of Schieren, which means lengthy administrative procedures.
While the project looks interesting on paper for respecting the local heritage, a staggering wait of eleven years until the groundbreaking ceremony can take place raises certain questions.
The municipality acquired the building in question in 1924 and it has since been used as a home by local children, art associations, and even firefighters. Eleven years after the government bought the building, which is located right next to the church, the former centre of Schieren is now finally about to be revitalised.
Due to the protected status, the building is giving authorities a hard time. Construction of the 13 future dwellings must wait until the building plans have been approved, even if everything has been done to respect the town planning rules in the area around the historic building.
Efforts to combine old and new have caused the procedures to drag on: the typologies are different, on one side are two larger units for the houses and on the other is a unit for the flats. The Housing Fund is trying to revalue the old heritage, as has already been done in other parts of the country.
“It doesn’t work the way we want everywhere, it’s a complex project and we have to discuss details with all the stakeholders. Eleven years is not that long for a project of this size,” explained Jacques Vandivinit of the Housing Fund in conversation with RTL.
Minister for Housing Henri Kox also pointed out that “the Housing Fund has even specialised in the field of heritage enhancement, and this is not the first project of its kind”.
While commendable for respecting the local history, the project will unlikely do much to help combat the housing crisis unfolding in the country at the moment.
