“This major project will contribute to the development of urban planning in Kirchberg. The aim is to build a district that will reconcile the different functions of urban life: work, living and leisure.” Even more than the usual description of a new multifunctional district, the minister for mobility and public works, (déi Gréng), is delighted that work has finally begun on the new residential area on boulevard John F. Kennedy.
The project being developed on the empty site between Avenue John F. Kennedy, Kirchberg’s main thoroughfare, and Rue du Fort Thüngen, is intended to fill “an enormous housing deficit in Kirchberg and on Boulevard Kennedy,” says the minister.
The 250 homes will be built on the wasteland opposite the European Parliament. Photo: Government
By the end of the year, employees of the European Parliament will see the emergence of new buildings directly opposite their offices, but this will only be a first step. “In the longer term, the ‘southern project’ should be extended to include the construction of housing along the entire boulevard as far as Auchan,” says Bausch.
A green, mixed and dynamic neighbourhood
The new neighbourhood, comprising nine buildings, will be home to between 600 and 700 residents. The buildings will have small and medium-sized commercial premises as well as office space on the ground floor, “with the aim of making the area more dynamic.”
The project is part of a sustainable development approach. Photo: Government
Located close to the tram, bus and funicular, the site is ideal for car-free mobility. To encourage emission-free travel, there will be 777 indoor parking spaces for bicycles, as well as a direct connection to the network of cycle paths. The construction of a park will not only help to improve the quality of the space, but also support green initiatives.
Favouring rental
This project joins 252 other projects and 3,300 affordable homes under construction in Luxembourg. The Société Nationale des Habitations à Bon Marché’s (SNHBM) general conditions and standard sales criteria will be applied to these properties. Nearly 60% of these affordable homes will be for rent, mainly flats on the avenue side.
The remaining 40% of affordable homes will be offered for sale at a price of around €6,000 per square metre at the lower end. “A reasonable price for housing of this quality in Kirchberg,” says Bausch. However, 30m2 for €180,000 may not be affordable for the most disadvantaged.
€6,000 per square metre is an affordable price.
As a reminder, the average selling price per square metre in Kirchberg is currently €13,215, compared with €7,102 in July 2015, according to immotop.lu. The minister for housing, (déi Gréng), points out that rentals for SNHBM homes average less than €5 per square metre. “Rentals for SNHBM homes average less than five euros per square metre,” says Kox.
Promoting an ideal mix
The project is being carried out on land owned by the state, with the ministry of housing contributing 70% of the costs of affordable rental housing and 50% of the costs of development and infrastructure for affordable housing marked for sale. In total, the financial contribution amounts to €35m. “These works should stimulate the construction sector,” emphasises Bausch.
“In Kirchberg, the ratio between employment and housing is currently 7:1. Our strategy aims to reduce this ratio to 3:1. To achieve this, we need to encourage an ideal mix,” concludes Kox.
This story was first published in French on . It has been translated and edited for Delano.