PERMIT FOR NEW MECHELEN RESIDENTIAL AREA ‘WATTLAND’ DEFINITIVELY APPROVED
CONSTRUCTION STARTS NEXT AUTUMN, FIRST FAMILIES TO LIVE THERE BY END OF 2026
The city of Mechelen has definitively agreed on the new green residential area Wattland, which will provide a home for 197 families.
With the permit approved, the developer CORES Development can start construction on the former site of the gas and electricity network operator Fluvius next autumn. The first families will be able to move into their new homes by the end of 2026.
‘Wattland is the future of urban development. Future residents will be able to live there very comfortably and peacefully in one of Mechelen’s most sustainable sites’, says Sophie Deprez, CCO of CORES Development.
Mechelen is one of the most popular and fastest-growing cities in Belgium. Since 1990, the city’s population has grown by no less than 20 per cent and at the start of this year it had 88,614 residents. To meet this housing need, the Keerdok is undergoing a transformation from an industrial concrete site to a new green urban area with about 570 homes, a city park, forest, renovated quays and a central meeting square.
Extensive mix
With the construction permit for Wattland, the redevelopment of the Keerdok site is shifting into a higher gear. Next autumn, developer CORES Development will start with the construction of a high-quality residential area, with 197 apartments spread over 10 buildings, which is a stone’s throw from the city centre. A new central road, Antonia Wolversstraat, divides Wattland into a north and south side.
On the south side of the area, there will be three buildings with spacious and luxurious villa apartments and penthouses ranging from 138 to 240 m². From the spacious outdoor terraces, residents have a unique view of the Wetlands, the River Dyle and the park behind. On the north side, along the future city boulevard (N16), the buildings each have their own character but still form a harmonious architectural whole. In addition to high-quality one, two, and three bedroom apartments, there is also space for duplex apartments intended for co-housing and office space of 146 m². Here too, almost all the apartments have a view of the Wetlands and the Dyle.
Central to the development will be spacious single-family homes, cosy high-quality apartments, spacious duplex penthouses and a multipurpose space. These overlook and have direct access to the green inner gardens. Underground parking will provide room for 158 car parking spaces and boxes, all equipped with cabling for charging stations. Moreover, Wattland boasts no fewer than 661 spacious, easily accessible bike parking spaces.
Greet Geypen, councillor for Urban Development: ‘Urban development projects such as the Keerdok site must accommodate natural growth in a sustainable and high-quality way, with a diverse range of housing that targets a diverse audience including first-time buyers and single people. The location where Wattland will be situated is currently almost entirely paved, but that’s now changing. Only 30 per cent of the surface will be built on and there’s a substantial proportion of new public and private green space. The existing trees will be preserved as much as possible and dozens of new trees will be added. In short, Wattland will be a lively neighbourhood where everyone – young and old alike – can feel at home.’
GREEN BUILDING AND LIVING
CORES Development is known for its sustainable project development. That green signature is also recognisable in Wattland. The development is of course completely gas-free, thanks to a borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) field and air-to-water heat pumps. Solar panels and smart home automation (optional) ensure that electricity consumption remains limited. Even the demolition of the existing buildings on site is done sustainably: the demolition materials are recovered where possible and stony construction debris is used as the bottom foundation layer of the new buildings and road construction.
Today, the former Fluvius site is almost entirely paved – but the developer is changing that. Only 30 per cent of the surface will be built on, meaning that residents will mainly encounter a green oasis. The southern part will be fully equipped as ‘Wetlands’ to collect rainwater naturally and allow it to infiltrate. This green zone, larger than a football pitch, will thereby play a major role in the neighbourhood’s water management. The existing trees will be preserved where possible and dozens of new trees and natural play elements will be added in both the Wetlands and elsewhere on the site. Centrally, next to the public square, there will also be two communal inner gardens intended for Wattland residents.
Sophie Deprez, CCO of CORES Development: ‘It makes sense that the redevelopment of this site is taking the rapidly changing climate into account. That’s why we’re focusing as much as possible on de-paving so that rainwater can easily infiltrate the ground. Green roofs buffer the rainwater and several rainwater harvesting tanks enable it to be reused. The abundance of greenery in Wattland prevents a heat island effect, making it a pleasant place to live and stay all year round.’
Next phases
Now that the permit has been granted, the developer is preparing for the next phases in the process. Sales in Wattland will start next spring. More information can be found on the website: www.wattland.be. Construction will begin in autumn 2024. If everything goes according to plan, the first apartments will be delivered in autumn 2026 and the first families can move in. CORES is working with three architectural firms for this project. HUB has been appointed to design the urban layout for the residential area. In the current phase, together with the architects of Bontinck A&E and the Mechelen-based firm dmvA, they are further shaping the various buildings in architectural terms. Landscape architect OKRA, in collaboration with the consultancy firm Atelier Ruimtelijk Advies, is responsible for all green zones and the public domain.
PERSCONTACT
Sophie Deprez
CCO CORES Development
sophie@coresdevelopment.be
03 820 82 74
